Time for some serious protection
by Tachunky
Summary: Rook gets transferred to a different outpost and sees an entirely new side of Team Rainbow. When he meets Ela both their lives are never the same again. When Ela's sister comes along, everything goes to hell and now Rook has to what he can before he loses everything he was just starting to love.
1. Chapter 1

**So I was bored one day and decided to write a half-assed story about the two thiccest operators in Siege. Kinda cringy, kinda not I rate it 5/7.**

"Transferred? " Julien demanded after being told where he was being sent to.

"Nizan please calm down," Rook's superior told him "Six needed someone to fill an opening in the Munich outpost and you were the only one unoccupied at the moment."

"So you made that decision for me? You can't just pull shit like that, I like my life here. "

Julien's superior pinched the bridge of her nose. She kept her composure but he could tell she was getting pissed. "Let me remind you that I am still your boss and I can pull whatever shit I deem necessary, now you can go voluntarily or I can have your ass dragged all the way to the plane but either way you will go to Munich."

Defeated, Rook left the office and proceeded to his quarters and was greeted with Twitch waiting by the door.

"Hey", she said "I heard what happened, leaving without a goodbye?"

Julien pushed passed her and opened the door to his room and began to pack. "Sorry Pichon, must have slipped my mind. Help me with this will you, my plane is about to leave."

Rook woke up to the sound of a plane landing. He grabbed his bag from the overhead compartment and proceeded to the exit. He walked up to the outpost entrance and was met with a man dressed in all black and a mask that would have made Pichon jealous.

"Agent Nizan" he greeted him, "I was instructed to show you around the facility. Please follow me."

After experiencing one of the most generic tour he ever experienced, Julien was eventually at the door of his new quarters. The man he was with knocked on the door, "Miss Alvarez, your new roommate is here." The door opened and Rook was met with a middle aged spanish woman in shorts. "Elena Maria Alvarez" she offered her hand "you can call me by any of those names." Julien shook her hand, "Julien Nizan."

Rook's tour guide dropped of his duffel bag and turned to leave. Julien tried to thank him and was met with a _Whatever._ Once he was out of earshot Julien turned to Mira, "What's his problem?" "Oh him? Nothing that's just how they are."

Julien raised his eyebrow, "They?"

"Recruits." Mira deadpanned "Members of Team Rainbow that have nothing to offer other than being able to shoot people somewhat properly. Since that's about as rare as dirt, most people treat them that way to. Pretty fucked up if you ask me."

"Jesus." Julien proceeded to unpack his things taking note Mira's comment on him not having as much white flags as he should.

"Is that supposed to mean something grandma?" Julien asked to which Mira just laughed at. "Relax frenchie I'm just playing. Now hurry up and unpack your shit so I can show you around already."

"Oh no need, the recruit already took care of that."

Mira got up from the bed and grabbed Rook by the shoulders, "Oh Julien, if you haven't seen this place through my eyes, you haven't seen this place." She led Rook out the door but stopped him just as they were about to leave the room,"And for the record" she told him "I'm thirty-nine you asshole."

"Sure you are." Julien said as he followed her out the room.

After experiencing what Mira's idea of a tour was, Julien was just about ready for it to be over and thankfully for him, it almost was.

"The procreation room" Mira told him upon arriving at their last stop with a grin on her face.

"I think you mean recreation, Elena."

"No, my friend, I mean procreation. You see Julien, when the lights go out at night, so do the cameras in this room so this is where people usually go when they want to get down and dirty with each other. Or themselves."

"The way you said that last part raises some questions."

"No need to play innocent with me Julien, everyone needs to blow off some steam every now and then. I won't judge."

Julien just stared at the room,"But why here though, why don't people just do it in their rooms."

"Lights out here is basically just that, lights out. No one ever said you actually had to sleep so technically you can roam around, even if it's after curfew. The only place you're not allowed to go is any room that's not yours and there are cameras in every hallway to make sure of that. Most people just head here because of the lack of surveillance."

Mira turned and headed towards the cafeteria. "Come on rookie keep up, lunch here on the first day is always the worst. I learned that the hard way."

Julien looked over his food choices when Mira told him the only useful thing he heard from her upon his arrival.

"Piece of advice rookie, the thing that looks closest to food is the thing that tastes closest to it too." Mira took off leaving Julien to choose over what Team Rainbow considered as food. He eventually settled for what would elicit the shortest comment from Mira should she ever see him again.

"Hey rookie." Speak of the devil. "Come over here I'd like to show you the assholes I like to call my friends." Rook walked to their table as Mira introduced him to everyone. "Jordan Trace, Monika Weiss, Marius Streicher, Eliza Cohen, and Sebastian Cote." Each one of them offering a hello after their name was called.

"Sit down" Thermite said pulling out the chair next to him "you're filling in for Campbell."

"What exactly am I filling in on?" he asked Thermite who was pulling out a deck of cards. "You'll see, put your food at the center first." Julien did as he was told and Jordan began to distribute the cards. "Okay I only want meat today people, anything that is not liquid or vegetables goes on the pile."

"Wait, you gamble your food?" Julien asked, amazed by the fact that this was normal for these people.

Jordan just chuckled at him, "You see rookie-" "That name's not gonna stick" Julien cut him off. "It already has. If you haven't noticed it yet, the food here is about as interesting as a wet sponge. Coincidently, that's what it also tastes like, so we try to make it as exciting as we can before we eventually have to shove whatever the fuck this is down our throats."

Julien looked over his food for a while before adding it to the pile. "Fuck it, if I'm eating shit I might as well eat more shit than everyone else. Set me up."

Everyone at the table laughed at him. "Rookie mistake."

Rook looked down at his near empty plate and looked at the massive pile IQ had in front of her. "What happened rookie?" she asked him "I thought you were going to clean us out, the only thing you cleaned out was your plate."

Julien ate the rest of his food, which didn't take too long. "I don't know what you people call that, but that wasn't blackjack." "So what's it called then?" Ash asked him as she got up from the table, "It's easy to talk shit when you play like it huh?" Buck and Jager both got up as well, the former giving Rook a pat on the back. "Better luck tomorrow rookie."

One by one they all left until it was just Rook and IQ, who was only halfway through her pile. "If you're waiting for me to give you some food, you'll be waiting a long time." "Well it's not easy finding something to do when you were forced to leave everything behind."

IQ stopped eating. "God, way to kill the mood Nizan." she said as she threw down her utencils on her plate. "Do you really think you were the first one forced to be here because your dipshit boss signed you off before you even knew you were called?"

"How did you-"

"I went through all this the same way you did." IQ found herself getting infuriated at Rook although she wasn't really sure why. She took a deep breath before speaking again, "listen Julien, for the thirty minutes I've known you, you managed to not make me hate you right away, please don't make me start to by feeling sorry for yourself so much. We all have our shit to deal with, it doesn't always get better but it doesn't necessarily have to get worse."

Rook thought about what she said before getting up, "You're right. Thanks, I guess." As he turned to leave IQ grabbed his hand. "Wait, take this. You made me feel sorry for you." She gave Julien what seemed to be chicken. He thanked her again and turned to leave.

After what felt like an eternity, the day finally ended and Rook found himself in his room getting ready for bed. "Congratulations Julien, you managed to make it an entire day here." Mira told him as she entered the room.

"That's especially suprising since I spent the day with you." Julien retorted although he didn't really mean it. At least not completely. "Yeah well fuck you too Nizan. This looks like the start of a beautiful friendship." Mira said as she rolled over to sleep.

Julien did the same. This might not be as bad as he thought it would be.


	2. Chapter 2

"SON OF A BITCH!"

Julien woke up drenched and screaming with both Ash and Mira holding buckets and laughing by the side of his bed. His second day was off to a great start.

When Ash finally caught her breath she turned to Mira, "You're right Elena, he does look cute when he's angry." Julien kicked off his now cold blanket as he got up. "What the fuck is wrong with you two?"

"Rise and shine rookie. Breakfast time." Ash said before leaving not bothering to take the bucket with her. Mira followed her outside leaving Rook to change. He dried himself as much as he can but when he got to the table his hair was still dripping.

Rook sat down next to Buck, who didn't shy away from making a comment about his current situation. "Looks like someone wet the b-"

"Don't."

Ash and Mira both sat down on the table. "Chill out Julien," Mira told him "we're only playing with you. There's a laundry chute at the end of our hallway." "That's not necessary, I left them to dry on your bed."

Mira just continued eating. "Julien I'm thirty-nine years old, single and I've had the room to myself for three weeks do you really think water is the worst thing my bed has been soaked in?"

"Congratulations rookie," Buck told him "you just put your clothes on a Mira's bed and she hasn't changed the sheets yet."

"Damn that's nasty" Thermite said as he sat down "is there any reason you got a lot of food there Julien." Julien looked at him but he didn't stop eating, "You know damn well why Jordan. Please tell me you don't gamble your breakfast."

"Don't worry rookie" IQ told him "eat as much as you can, you'll need it for later." "What do you mean 'later'?" IQ just shrugged. "I don't know, whatever you had planned Iguess." Rook thought about what he did plan to do today, nothing came up. "I don't have anything planned though."

At this point most of them were finished eating and began to leave one by one. "Well you better find something to do" IQ told him as she got up to leave "because this place gets really boring really fast."

IQ wasn't wrong, five minutes after Rook finished eating he found himself wandering around the outpost looking for anything to do before he lost his mind from boredom. When his legs couldn't carry him anymore he ended up in the workshop in the basement, resting in silence since there were only two other people there, one being Jager and the other being some girl with green hair slouched over a workbench.

"Ah Julien," Jager called out when Rook entered the room "something came in a while ago, had your name on it. I put it on one of the workbenches." Julien thanked him and proceeded to the workbench next to the green haired girl and opened the package that sat on top of it.

Inside of it was a duffel bag and a note from Twitch.

 _Stick around until the end of the month, you might just get a surprise. Oh and you left this behind, dumbass.-Pichon_

Rook opened the duffel bag and saw his armor plates, in all their dented glory. He never got around to fixing them, but at least he now has something to do. "Hey you have a hammer on you?" he asked the girl next to him. "Boiling water usually helps buff out a dent." she told him as she gave him a hammer.

"You wouldn't happen to have any would you?" Julien asked and was surprised when she actually gave him a glass. Now that they were next to each other, Julien got a better view of what she was really working on and saw beakers and a couple of chemicals. "Are you cooking meth or something?" "Oh please, anyone can cook meth, what I'm making is much more special."

Julien looked at the beaker, which contained a liquid that started to turn green. "Care to elaborate?" "I'm making a non-lethal chemical that gives the affected person the feeling of being hungover and drunk at the same time. This chemical is then placed in a device that can stick to a wall and explodes when an enemy is within range."

"Just like those concussion grenades in one of the outposts in Poland." Julien said "That's an interesting take on it." "That's what everybody else said." her expression turned sour "Everyone confuses something introduced first to something original to the point that the actual proponent gets left in the shadow with everyone accusing them of copying their own idea."

"That's not what I meant"

"It never is, isn't it?" she continued "you're just like her, you're just like everyone else. No wonder they sent you here."

She got up and left, hitting Rook with her shoulder on the way out.

"Such a way with words Julien." Jager said from behind him making Rook jump. "Don't mind her. Come on, it probably started already." He left without bothering to tell Rook what just started, he just told him to follow.

They made it to the training room and it was packed. Rook and Jager pushed through the crowd just in time to see IQ get decked. She got up and raised her fists, she looked exhausted but the woman she was fighting was just getting started. She came at her with a hail of punches, IQ desperately trying to block all of them until one got through hitting her square in the face. She went down again, the crowd cheering on her attacker.

"What the fuck am I watching?" Julien asked, disgusted. "What you're watching," Jager told him "is Meghan Castellano. No one has ever beaten her in a sparring match. That doesn't stop people from trying though, and that doesn't stop other people from betting on them."

"Do you gamble over everything here?"

"It gets very boring here Julien." Jager answered, still watching the fight in front of him. Both IQ and Valkyrie were still trading hits, although IQ was receiving more punches than she was giving. She swung at Valkyrie who ducked under her punch and grabbed her by the waist. She lifted her up, Rook seeing the frustration in IQ's face as she began hitting Valkyrie with her elbows as hard as she can. Valkyrie paid no attention to this as she lifted IQ over her head and threw her to the ground.

It was over. IQ wasn't getting up from that.

When she could finally stand up, she made her way to where Rook and Jager were. They couldn't tell which part of her hurt more, her body or her pride. "This is ridiculous." Rook complained and turned to leave when Jager called him out.

"I got fifty on Nizan."

The crowd, including Valkyrie turned to where they were standing. "I got fifty on Nizan." Jager repeated nudging Rook forward for everyone to see. "Have you lost your goddamn mind?" IQ asked when she walked up to them but Rook was already being dragged toward the mat, opposite side of Valkyrie. Now that they were face to face, Julien got a better look at his opponent. She was slightly shorter than him but very well built, her muscular arms being shown off in the black tank top she wore. Her fight with IQ was barely evident on her body.

"Let's make this quick." Valkyrie cracked her neck. She got in a stance and beckoned Rook toward her. He just stood still. "Fine then, I'll come to you." Without warning she charged at Julien, swinging her arm in a wide arc that Julien barely dodges. Valkyrie quickly recovered and threw another punch this time hitting him in the chest. Rook doubled over and Valkyrie brought her knee to his face causing him to stumble backwards. She charged at him again, going for his waist the same way she did with IQ. Her force brought him back a bit. She may be stronger but Rook was heavier, he elbowed the top of her head then began to march forward with Valkyrie still holding on to him, using his weight to push her.

He slammed her against the wall and began to hit her, twice at her side before moving on to her face. He got a few good hits in before Valkyrie headbutted him mid-swing and pushed him off while he was still dazed. Before he could recover, Valkyrie swung another punch striking Julien in the face so hard he went down. Julien was disoriented, not sure wether the crowd was yelling at him to get up or stay down. Fuck it, he was getting up. He charged Valkyrie, catching her off guard enough for her to miss her swing. Julien grabbed her wrist with one hand and her neck with the other. He pulled her towards him while also pushing her downward using Valkyrie's weight and momentum to send her to the ground. He heard her head hit the ground, hard. He raised his fists again waiting for her to get up.

But she didn't.

The whole room was silent. Somewhere in the background, Jager and IQ were whispering among themselves. "He's going to fall for it." Jager told IQ, who didn't object. "Hopefully she won't break anything." Rook knelt down beside Valkyrie. Before he could even ask her if she was ok, Valkyrie planted both feet on Julien's abdomen and sent him flying across the room. He landed on his back, all the air in his lungs leaving his body. While he was trying to catch his breath, Valkyrie was already up and walking towards him. He tried to shield himself as best he could, waiting for the next hit. But it never came. Instead, Valkyrie just stood there offering her hand. Julien just stared at her.

"Relax rookie, we're done. Take my hand." Valkyrie pulled him up and gave him a pat on the back. "You can take a hit rookie, I'll give you that. Keep your money." Valkyrie left and most the crowd did too. Jager and IQ approached him, acting a little too giddy for two people in their late 30's. "I can't believe you did that." IQ told him.

"What do you mean, I lost."

"So? Everyone loses to her," Jager said "not everyone can bring her to the ground."

"Yeah well not everyone flew across the room either."

"Well you win some, you lose some Julien." IQ told him, who was massaging his jaw, "Well it feels like I lost a lot more. My face hurts." IQ took a closer look at Rook's face, which was starting to bruise. "Yeah that looks bad. You need to get that looked at." "I don't think that's a good idea." Jager reminded her "Do you remember what Doc said the last time?" "Don't worry Marius, I'm sure Doc will be happy to help."

"I'm not helping you."

IQ, Jager and Rook were at the medical wing trying to convince Doc to treat Rook's face. It wasn't going well. "Come on Doc, at least just take a look at it." IQ pleaded. "No, Weiss. Just like I told you last time I will no longer be treating any injuries brought on by your goddamn sparring matches." "But he's new here, he didn't know that." Doc's opinion remained unchanged. "Well you should have thought about that before you made him participate." "What about that oath you took."

"The Hippocratic oath states to do no harm." Doc said, frustrated "It never said anything about ignoring it." "But that's the same thing isn't it." IQ said preparing to ramble "By ignoring it, if it gets worse then that would be on you. You would have caused more harm by refusing to treat it which would go against that oath you took."

"For fuck's sake Weiss. This is the last time, you understand." Doc said, pulling out the medical records. "What's his name?" "Julien Nizan." Doc froze a bit, it can't be him can it?

"Gustave Kateb what the hell are you doing here?"

Rook approached Doc with open arms which Doc accepted, making Rook flinch, not realizing how hurt he really was. Doc apologized and led him to his office to treat him. "I haven't seen you since the academy Julien. How long you been here?" "Today would be my second day."

Doc chuckled at Rook. "What?" "You've been here two days and you're already in the infirmary. You haven't changed a bit."

"So I heard you took on Castellano today." Mira told him as they went to bed "Just when I Thought you could get any dumber."

"Well you have Marius to thank for that." Julien said. "You'll have plenty of time for that tomorrow. Head down to the range after breakfast tomorrow. Six wants you reinstated."

"What for?"

"Marius has an op tomorrow." Mira said "And you're coming with him."


	3. Chapter 3

Julien walked in to the gun range, followed by one of Team Rainbow's official to get him reinstated, as if the three days of him not holding a gun would have done anything to his aim. After successfully making enough shots for him to be deemed capable enough to be holding a weapon, he was told to proceed to the briefing room where everyone would be waiting for him.

He walked through the doors of the briefing room, cutting Six off mid-sentence. Only she and Marius were left in the room. "Ah Nizan, took you long enough. Streicher, brief him and take him to the hangar. Your team should be waiting for you." Jager left the room and Julien followed him.

Jager told Rook their mission as they walked down the halls to the hangar. "They found this container in Brazil, right, and apparently it's filled with some radioactive chemicals or something. You know, shit they use to make dirty bombs. Some members of the BOPE CTU managed to secure it."

"Then why do they need us?"

"One of the terrorists managed to send a distress signal before they got to him." Jager continued, "Reinforcements are on their way now and the agents used up most of their supplies securing the container. They need help to keep it safe until their chemical specialists can render the chemicals useless."

"OK, sounds simple enough. Who are we working with?" Rook asked as they walked up to Jager's plane. "Well there are the two BOPE operators we will be meeting there, and Castellano and Bosak, you know, that girl you pissed off in the workshop." "Great."

Ela and Valkyrie both walked in the hangar, the latter greeting Rook with a handshake. "Hey rookie, how's the jaw." Julien just smiled "Good enough, how's the floor?" "That's a nice shit-eating grin there, it'd be a shame for me to ruin it by removing a few teeth." Valkyrie smiled back. Ela pushed past both of them to Jager's plane. "Can we just go already? I want to get back by sundown."

On the flight to Brazil, Julien sat as far from Ela as he can, who seemed to still have hard feelings toward him. Valkyrie sat down next to him and when she started to work on her Black Eye cameras, Julien realized he had nothing to do for the duration of the flight. Eventually he managed to fall asleep, waking up just Jager landed.

They were greeted by a man and a woman, both wearing black and both wearing berets. The man wore an eye patch and his companion was sporting a skull painted on her face. "I am Vicente Souza, this is my associate Taina Pereira. We spoke with your director on the phone please follow us." Capitao led them through the slums to the house where they were holding out.

On the way there Rook was staring at Caveira when Valkyrie came up from behind him. "Take a picture rookie, it'll last longer." "It's weird," Rook said "the skull, the all black clothes plus she hasn't said a word since we got here. It creeps me out." "I think she's hot." Rook stared at Valkyrie who just shrugged. "It's not the fifties Nizan, you can swing both ways if you want to." Julien followed after her. "Noted."

They entered the room where the biohazard container was and the other soldiers were scraping up what ammunition they had left into a pile. It was a small pile. Capitao yelled out something in Brazilian and they all returned to their stations. Caveira brought them to a table where they can prepare for the reinforcements they were expecting.

Rook brought his armor plates to Capitao. "I'm sorry, I didn't think there would be a lot of you. I should have brought more." Capitao picked up one of the plates and examined it. "You people being here is help enough. We'll make do."

They began to make preparations and while Valkyrie, Jager and Ela were deploying there gadgets in key areas, Rook gave his armor plates to those whose own armor had already sustained too much damage, making sure there was enough left for him and the others. He had two more to spare so he gave one to Capitao and offered one to Caveira.

She refused and spoke for the first time since Rook got here. "No thank you. Armor is too heavy and clunky. I would rather not have that reveal my position."Caveira began to sharpen her knife. "Besides, if they know where I am before I can take them down, it won't make that much of a difference." "Uh, sure." Julien replied and returned the armor plate to his duffel bag just in time for Jager and the others to return to the room. They helped themselves to his armor and went to each of their stations.

After a few minutes of silence, one of the soldiers got up to one of the windows despite Capitao's orders for him to sit down. "If the reinforcements have not arrived by now, they won't arrive." He stepped closer to the window and a shot rang out. A bullet broke through the window and hit the soldier in the chest, the force of the bullet sending him backward.

After seeing him go down, the white masks continued firing, shattering the windows one of the stray bullets hitting Jager's ADS. Rook saw a frag enter the room through the window and dove behind one of the deployable shields along with everybody else. "Castellano, what the fuck?!" he yelled at her while reaching for his shotgun.

Valkyrie was swiping through her phone. "They didn't show up on the cameras." A handful more of grenades were thrown in the room, Jager's remaining ADS taking out most of them missing one that landed at Rook and Caveira's feet. Julien grabbed his duffel bag and threw it over the grenade, the remaining armor plate absorbing most of the shrapnel. "Still think they won't make a difference?"

Caveira rolled her eyes and pulled out her pistol which Julien saw was engraved with "LUISON". She wielded it on one hand and a knife with the other. "Shut up and cover me." She vaulted over the shield as Julien fired off enough shots at the windowsill to make sure no one shoots Caveira as she ran out the room.

When Julien was reloading the firing coming from the white mask began to move away from them to focus on what Julien assumed was Caveira. Soon enough things were quiet and Caveira entered the room brandishing a bloody knife. "The last ones are on the balcony in the building next door." Jager got up and went to the window to take out the stragglers.

Once the dust settled, everyone began to calm down and tend to their injuries or gear when Capitao entered the room. "I just talked to Six. The chemical specialists will arrive soon." Julien, who hasn't sustained any injuries began roaming around the place to kill time. He ended up in the kitchen and opened the fridge. Almost everything inside it had gone bad except for a six pack he spotted at the back of the fridge. After looking over his shoulder to see if anyone followed, he took it and proceeded to the roof so he can drink alone.

But Ela was already there.

"Oh shi-, uh I'll just go."

"It's okay." Ela said, her gaze distant. "This is a good place to go to clear your head if that's what you're looking for. Besides, I already saw the six pack. I won't say anything, just give me one." Rook sheepishly walked toward her, gave her one and sat next to her.

They drank in silence until Julien decided to speak. "Look, at the workshop the other day, if I said something that offended you, I Just want to apologize." "No, don't." Ela said "That was on me. I was going through something and it wasn't fair of me to take it out on you." "Do you want to talk about it?"

Ela was quiet for a while. "My father had committed suicide." Julien stayed quiet, waiting for Ela to continue. "They found him in his apartment, hanging from the ceiling. I never even knew him. My sister was always his favorite, and he didn't bother to hide it. And Zofia, she loved it. She always made me feel like I wasn't good enough until my father believed it, until I believed it. All I ever wanted was for him to see me as more than just Zofia's sister. Now that I made something out of myself, he just happens to kill himself."

Ela began to tear up, "I will never get that chance again. My father will never see me for myself." Ela began to cry leaving Julien to awkwardly drink his beer. "Uh, I'm not good with these situations. Do you need like a hug?" Ela turned to him with tears in her eyes. "Can't you tell?" Rook wrapped his arms around her, letting her head rest on his chest and let her cry herself out.

Ela wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry this is unprofessional." She said getting off Rook. "No it's okay. You shouldn't bottle up your emotions, uh, Bosak." "You don't even know my name do you." Julien rubbed the back of his head. "I've been here three days alright, give me a break." Ela sighed, finished the rest of her drink and offered Rook her hand. "Elzbieta Bosak, although my friends back home call me Ela." "I wonder why." Julien said flatly "Julien Nizan." He shook her hand and gave her another beer.

"If you don't mind me asking, why the green hair?" Ela took another sip from her beer. "My sister needed a formal family photo once so I dyed it green as a sort of 'fuck you' to her. I liked it and it stuck." she said "Congratulations Julien. You now know more about me than everybody in the outpost."

The next day, when Julien sat down for breakfast everyone at the table was looking at him. "What?" "How's Bosak?" Thermite asked. "Why are you asking me?" "Oh come Julien, don't tell you just left afterwards." This only made Julien more confused. "What are you talking about?" "We know about it Nizan" Mira said "Marius saw you get a six pack yesterday and followed you to get a drink. He saw you and Bosak getting friendly with each other." IQ, who hasn't said a word since he sat down spoke up. "I'm shocked Julien. I didn't take you as that kind of person." "That's because I'm not. I don't know what you think happened but it's wrong. I just went up to the roof and she was already there. She looked like she had something on her mind so I gave her a beer and we talked. That's it."

"Well that's not what everybody else thinks." Ash said. "Why? Who else did you tell?" "Word travels fast around here Nizan." Julien thought about how many people already know. And if Ela does. "I have to tell her I didn't start that." He said taking off to find her.

He eventually found her again in the workshop, checking the viscosity of the adhesive in her GRZMOT mines. She greeted him when he entered but she didn't look up. Julien thought of a way to properly phrase what he was about to say. "I take it that you've heard by now." She nodded. "I wasn't the one who started that, alright, and I've corrected everyone who asked." Ela didn't look at him. "You seemed insulted by that. Why, am I not good enough for you?"

"N-no, I just-"

Ela finally looked at him, but she was smiling. "You should have heard yourself, Julien. I'm just kidding, I don't care." Julien blinked. "So you're okay with this?" "Julien there are so many rumors going around about me that I can't keep track of them. So I don't. The question is, are you okay with it?"

Julien thought about it, before smirking. "You're not that bad."

Ela smirked back. "Neither are you."


	4. Chapter 4

**I would like to thank you all for the support you have been giving. To answer that one dude, I can't make a schedule of when I upload because I don't really know whenever I have free time to write. Sorry to keep you guys waiting and thank you once again.**

"And who is this?"

Two hands placed themselves on Julien's shoulders, surprising him. "Hey look, Campbell is back." Ash said "This is Julien. He got laid on his third day here."

"No I didn't."

"He also beat Castellano."

"No I didn't."

"He also cleaned us out at lunch."

"No I didn't."

"And don't you ever forget."

"I walked right into that didn't I." Rook said.

Castle sat down and began to eat. "Have y'all heard the news? We got four new operators coming in today."

"Really?" Jager asked "Who are they."

"Well there are the two BOPE agents you worked with, and one operator from both the French and Polish CTUs." Julien stopped eating. "French CTU? As in GIGN?"

"Yeah." Castle said "It might be someone you know." Julien couldn't help but smile. Twitch might have a surprise for him after all.

"Yeah new operators are cool and all," Mira said "but I'd rather we talk about those already here. A certain Polish girl perhaps?" she said, not even trying to be subtle. Castle stared at Mira then at Rook. "Wait, rookie nailed the Polish girl?" he asked with a smile on his face. A smile that soon reflected on everyone else's face. Other than Julien's that is.

"Which Polish girl?"

No one said anything. As if being quiet would make Ela disappear. "Which Polish girl?" she repeated. She walked over to the table, everyone too scared to move. She rested her hands on Rook's shoulders. "Do I have competition?" she said, and although it put everyone at ease, it didn't really do anything to help the rumors about them.

After a fair share of glances went around Ela spoke again. "You, you, and you. Six called for us, go to her office." She said, pointing to Jager, Buck and IQ. She turned around and left, the three she called following her.

Later that day, Rook and Mira were in the workshop both working on their utilities. "What do you think that was about?" Rook asked while cleaning his shotgun. "At lunch? Probably just a heads up for an op. Those are usually given a day before." "I never got one. I wouldn't have known if you hadn't told me. How did you know about that anyway?"

"I had to. I was the one supposed to-, uh" Mira cut herself off.

Rook raised his eyebrow, "Elena, were you supposed to notify me?" Mira didn't say anything. "Elena?" She got up, trying to look everywhere but Rook. "Should we check out the new recruits. Yeah I think we should."

"Elena don't run away from me, answer my-hey wait for me."

Rook and Mira arrived at the outpost entrance, and Castle and Valkyrie were already waiting there. "What are you doing here Campbell?" Mira asked.

"Well apparently one of the new operators will be bunking with me. I want to see who it is."

Rook turned to Valkyrie. "What about you?"

"I'm waiting on that operator we worked with the other day."

"Pereira? Dark and scary gets you off, huh."

Valkyrie smiled at Rook. "Well at least it's not green hair."

Before Rook could think of a retort, the new operators arrived, and sure enough, one of them was Twitch. He approached her, offering a hug which she gladly accepted. "Would you look at what the cat dragged in. Emanuelle Pichon, what are you doing here." She wrapped her arms around Rook. "Remember that surprise I told you about?" she said "You lost some weight didn't you."

Julien rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah I may have been gambling my lunch."

"But you're shit at cards."

"I've noticed." Rook said "Six wants a word with you." He led Twitch to Six's office, passing by Valkyrie, who was trying to find a proper way of asking Caveira which way she swung. She couldn't.

Rook waited outside of Six's office while she was talking to Twitch. While doing so he ran into Ela. "Hey, you were in the Polish CTU before you came here right?" he asked.

Ela raised her eyebrows, "Not the hello I was expecting but, yes I was. Why?"

"One of the new operators used to be GROM." Rook said "Do you know her? Pichon and I ran into her on the way here. She told me to stop slouching. What a tool."

"Yeah I know her. She's my sister."

Rook blinked. "She is a massive tool though so don't worry about that comment." Ela said, reassuring him. Just as she finished speaking Zofia walked toward them. After making another comment at Rook's posture she turned toward Ela. "Why have you been avoiding me, especially now, with everything that happened."

Ela scoffed, "You never even looked in my direction the past twenty years. Why start now?"

Zofia was speechless. She was genuinely hurt. "Our father just killed himself Ela! Don't you think now would be a good enough time to be with family?"

"Before all this it's like you didn't even have a sister." Ela said "I can't even mourn him properly because any memory I have of him is him comparing me to you. And you didn't do anything about it. You got so caught up in wanting to be his favorite you didn't even notice that I just wanted to be noticed. You always said I wasn't good enough to the point that he believed it. He died disappointed in me and it's all because of you, so forgive me if I'd rather mourn him without you."

Zofia remained stoic, but it was all she could do to stop herself from breaking down. She sheepishly walked away. Ela turned to Rook, she had tears in her eyes. "Not a word, Julien." She turned and left leaving Julien to process what he just heard. Thankfully Twitch comes out of Six's office, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"You know where they keep their tech right? Six wants me to work on the drones." She said "Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah." Rook said "I just-, yeah. Follow me."

Julien sat down for breakfast while Thermite was asking Castle about his new roommate.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Castle said "She wasn't there when I went to bed and she wasn't there when I got up. Hey Julien," he turned to Rook "you two are close right? Does she always do this?"

"She probably fell asleep working on her drone again." Rook said "I'll go get her before there's no more breakfast."

"We should get going too." Jager said "Our op is in half an hour." The four of them got up and left, Jager, Buck and IQ went to the briefing room while Rook headed to the workshop. On the way there he ran into Valkyrie in her full workout gear.

"Hey you worked on your cameras yesterday right?" he asked her "Did you see one of the new recruits there."

"Yeah but when I left at about midnight she was still working." She said. Rook thanked her and left for the workshop while she headed to the training room. After stretching, she approached the training dummy and began to spar with it.

Valkyrie's concentration grew with each hit to the point that she didn't even notice that there was now someone else in the room. "I think it's had enough." They said, startling Valkyrie. She turned toward the voice and saw that it belonged to Caveira. "The dummy's had enough." She repeated.

"Well it's not like it can hit back."

"Then spar with someone who can." Caveira said.

"Don't you have an op?"

"I have time. Come on." Caveira said, taking of her jacket, revealing her muscular tan arms. Even under her tank top Valkyrie could see she had a six pack. She couldn't help but stare.

"Hey," Caveira said, snapping her out of her thoughts, "are we sparring or not."

Valkyrie put the dummy aside to give them more room on the mat. They circled each other, both waiting for the other to hit first. When no one did, Caveira charged, Valkyrie barely dodging her hit. She hit back, getting Caveira in the cheek. She did the same while Valkyrie was aiming for another swing. They were soon locked in a limbo of parries and hits. Caveira swung at Valkyrie who caught her fist. She brought her knee to Valkyrie's side and shoved her backward when she doubled over.

As Valkyrie stumbled backward, she couldn't help but smile. She hasn't had this much fun in a while. She got in a stance, circling Caveira once again. "So, what's with you and Souza?" she asked, which confused Caveira a bit.

"If you're trying to get me to let my guard down it won't work." Caveira said, throwing another punch that Valkyrie evaded.

"I'm not. I just want to know." Valkyrie said as she parried another hit.

"He's my colleague. My friend." she replied.

"That's it? Nothing else between you two?" Valkyrie asked.

"He's twice my age Castellano." Caveira said, infuriated.

"You could still be together though."

Caveira pushed Valkyrie backwards far enough that she couldn't sneak a cheap shot in. "What is with the questions Castellano?"

"Can't I get to know you better?"

"Take it from someone who interrogates people," Caveira said "your questions are too specific for just 'getting to know someone'. You want to know something, don't you?"

Valkyrie tried to think of a way to properly say it, but then she thought of something better. "How about this," she said "if one of us pins the other, they get to ask a question that the other has to answer, no matter what."

Caveira thought about it. "Deal." She said, quickly crouching in front of Valkyrie, pulling her feet out from under her. She pushed her down with her other hand and got on top of her, pushing her arm down on her neck, hard enough that she can't get up, but light enough that she can breathe, or more importantly, talk. "What are you questioning me for?"

"Just like you said, I want to know something." Valkyrie said.

"What?" Caveira demanded.

"Uh-uh. One question only." Valkyrie said, grabbing Caveira's wrist and lifted her arm. She abruptly turned around so that their places were switched. She choked Caveira the same way she did with her. "Are you together, or not."

"He's not my type." Caveira said, hitting Valkyrie with her knee from behind, nudging her forward. She placed both hands on her abdomen and pushed her over her head. Valkyrie landed on her back. Caveira quickly got up at the same time Valkyrie did. She grabbed her and pushed her toward the wall. Valkrie turned away at the last second, using Caveira's momentum to send her face first into the wall. She pinned her from behind. "What is your type, then."

Caveira's face was turned toward the wall but Valkyrie could tell she was blushing. "You have to answer no matter what." She reminded her.

"Women." She said, quietly.

Valkyrie couldn't believe what she heard. She accidentaly let her guard down and Caveira took advantage. She headbutted her, making her stumble back. She grabbed Valkyrie and slammed her to the wall. She was pissed. "You have been weird around me since we met. Why?"

Valkyrie stayed silent. Caveira hit the wall next to her head. "Answer me, bitch."

Valkyrie couldn't meet her gaze. "I can go either way, but I'd rather go with you."

Caveira's grip loosened. "What are you trying to say?"

Valkyrie pushed her off and she tripped over the mat. She fell down and Valkyrie pinned her. "You know exactly what I'm trying to say." Their faces were mere inches apart. They stared into each other's eyes but neither of them said anything.

"What is it?" Caveira asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Your question." Caveira said. "You pinned me, what is it." Valkyrie kept on staring at her, thinking of a question.

"Can I kiss you?"

When Caveira didn't answer, she leaned towards her. Just as their lips were about to touch someone else entered the training room, looking for Caveira. Valkyrie immediately got off her, thankfully they were behind some gym equipment so whoever entered didn't see them. Valkyrie got up and saw it was Buck. She didn't have any problems with the Canadian, but this may change that.

"Pereira!" he yelled "Where are you we're about to leave."

Caveira also got up, fixing her hair, trying not to make eye contact with Buck as she sheepishly walked out the training room with him. Valkyrie ran after them, catching them in the hallway. "Hey Pereira," she said "you never answered my question."

Caveira stopped walking and turned around. She gave Valkyrie a kiss, surprising her, but she kissed back anyway. Their kiss lasted long enough for Buck to clear his throat to remind Caveira that they had somewhere to be.

They pulled apart, and for the first time since they met Valkyrie saw Caveira smile. "Maybe I'll answer it again when I get back." She said before turning to Buck "You say anything my knife goes up your dick." The two of them turned and left, leaving Valkyrie with a blush and a stupid grin on her face.

"Cote, when I asked you to look for Pereira, I expect it to be quick." Six said as Buck and Caveira arrived at the hangar just as they were about to leave.

"Hey it would have been faster if-" Buck cut himself off when Caveira glared at him from behind Six "uh, sorry, it was my fault."

"Just get on the plane." Six said, leaving the two of them. As Caveira entered the plane Buck grabbed her arm.

"Next time you plan on coming out, do it on your own time." He told her.

As the plane landed, they readied their gear. "Alright everyone," Jager shouted over the noise of the plane "this abandoned military base is said to be one of the white mask hideouts. Just get in, check it out and get out. I'll be waiting here with the plane in case things go sideways."

Buck, IQ, Capitao and Caveira got off the plane and headed towards the base. Upon entering, they pulled out their flashlights while IQ was scaning the room with her R.E.D, looking for any tech that still worked. She found nothing for a while, until she saw a ping that was getting closer, it landed at their feet. IQ saw a red light and her heart raced. She pushed everyone back as far as she can, just as the tiny screen on the phone read _'call'._

Then it exploded.


	5. Chapter 5

IQ's vision was blurry. She could hear gunshots but couldn't tell where they were coming from. Muzzle flashes lit up the room. She crawled to the one closest to her. It was Buck. "Sebastien, what happened?"

"These fuckers have bight vision goggles." He said "They threw C4 at us. Thanks for that, by the way. Can you see their goggles on your R.E.D?"

IQ looked down on her forearm. Her scanner just hung there limply. "The explosion broke it. We're blind."

Buck swore. "We're sitting ducks here. Any ideas."

"I do. Get ready." Capitao said, loading an asphyxiating bolt into his crossbow. He fired it somewhere with the most muzzle flashes, the bolt igniting the air, the fire illuminating the area. Those that weren't burned were gunned down. He did the same for another cluster of soldiers, picking them off one by one until the only sound left in the room was the crackling of the fires.

Once they were sure there were no more white masks, they began to grope around for a light switch. After a few minutes of searching in the dark, they eventually brought light into the room, the weaponry and equipment hidden in the dark now out in the open for everyone to see.

"This is definitely a hideout." Capitao said "Let's get back and report this to Six." The five of them turned to leave through the door they came in. Capitao turned the handle of the door, but it didn't open. He tried it again and when it didn't budge, he rammed the door with his shoulder.

"Can I see the door first?" IQ asked. She approached the door knob and examined it. "Just as I thought." IQ said "It's electronically locked. Someone look for a switch or something."

"Is this it?" Buck asked, standing next to a circuit breaker with a piece of shrapnel sticking out of it. "I don't think it will be of much use to us though." IQ walked up to it, took one look at it and immediately dismissed it.

"The pilot is still outside right?" Caveira asked "Just get him to cut the door open."

Buck banged on the door with his fingers. "I doubt he'll get very far. The door's reinforced, only Yumiko's and Jordan's charges can get through that."

"How are we supposed to get out of here then?" IQ asked

"I've never seen a place with just one exit." Buck said "Let's just go through the base. I saw a hangar on the way here. Let's just asked Marius to meet us there."

Everyone else seemed to agree, except for Caveira, who was scanning the room. She stared at the corner of the ceiling and once she saw it, everyone else did.

There was a camera, and it was blinking red.

Caveira pulled out her Luison and immediately took it out. "Someone else is here." She said "And they have already seen us."

"Which means they also know about Marius." IQ said "We have to warn him."

"What we have to do is get out of this here." Capitao said "They already know where we are. God knows how many are on their way here now."

"I doubt that's the only camera here." Ela said "If we can't take the others out before they spot us, we might as well just stay here."

"That might not be the case." IQ said "Sebastien, can you get me up to the camera?"

"What?" Buck asked "Why?"

"Just do it."

Buck crouched and when IQ got on his shoulders, he carefully stood up and walked to the camera. "Can't you just use a chair?" he asked, struggling to keep their balance.

"I could, this was just more fun." IQ said.

"Wait, what?"

"Hey, keep it steady." IQ said. She unscrewed the broken lens of the everything else was still functional. She pulled on some wires and began to explain. "Most CCTV systems have interconnected cameras, and although that's an easy way to keep track of all of the camera feeds in one room, there is one problem that no one ever fixed so if I were to do this-" she yanked out a few wires and plugged them somewhere else "every other camera will only see what this one sees."

"But that camera's broken." Ela said.

IQ smiled, "Exactly."

From underneath her, Buck laughed. "Nice." He said "Now get off me." He crouched down again to let IQ off him.

"We should be okay now." IQ said "They can no longer see us through the cameras." She shouldered her rifle and pulled out her sidearm. She screwed on a suppressor. "I suggest you all do the same. Let's not attract more attention than we already did."

Buck, Ela and Capitao did the same and started to head out. "The hangar is on the other side of the base." Buck said "We just have to make it through the base and meet up with Marius." He turned to Caveira. "Pereira, you have experience skulking in the dark, you lead us."

Caveira shot him a look, "Follow me and don't engage any hostile unless absolutely necessary." She pulled out her knife to wield with her Luison. The five of them set out, pistols at the ready.

"Okay, I understand." Jager got off the comms with Buck. He turned the plane and began to taxi it to the hangar. He stopped it next to another plane, and as soon as he did a few white masks entered the hangar.

They began to sweep around the hangar and when they got near Jager's plane he got as low as he can, trying to avoid getting spotted. They shone a flashlight at the cockpit and he held his breath. When they moved on to another plane, he got back on his comms.

"Sebastien, they're patrolling the hangar. I'm pinned down here. You need to take them out before we can get out of here."

Buck responded and relayed the information to the others. Caveira stopped and raised her fist to stop the others. "Two hostiles, at the end of the hall."

Before IQ could finish asking what they were going to do, two suppressed shots rang out and Caveira was already headed to hide the bodies. Capitao went to help her, passing by Buck and IQ who were a bit shocked. "You'll get used to it." He said.

After getting on of their radios and stowing their bodies, the five of them continued through the base, using the callouts of the other white masks patrolling the base to take the path with the least amount of soldiers.

They approached a locked door, and after peeking at the window they saw a computer. "If we can get in there I might be able to get some information from them." IQ said. Caveira pushed past them and picked the lock. IQ entered the room, set her pistol on the table, plugged in a hard drive and began to work on the computer.

"I don't like this." Ela said "If any of the patrols pass by here, there is no way for us to know if they spotted us."

"I will go around, see if I can take out the patrols on their way here." Caveira said.

"You can't watch the entire hall by yourself." Capitao said "We'll come with you."

"You two go ahead." Buck said "I'll stay here with Monika."

Ela, Capitao and Caviera left the room, leaving Buck and IQ by themselves. He stood at her side, occasionally peering at the window to see if anyone slipped through the perimeter Caveira and the others made.

"You didn't have to stay back you know." IQ said.

"I know." Buck said "I wanted to stay with you. Besides, Pereira scares me."

"Well, I'm happy you're here." IQ said. She continued going through the files, getting everything she can. "Hey Sebastien, look at this." She said "I found the schematics of the base."

Buck took a look at the base's floor plan. "We're not that far from the hangar." He said "How much longer is this going to take? We have to get out of here."

"I'm almost done, just give me few more-"

Down the hallway, they heard a few shots, the muzzle flashes illuminating the dark hallway.

"Monika," Buck said "we have to get out of here now." He pulled out his pistol and peeked through the window, trying his best not to get spotted. He spotted at least three patrols with flashlights. They came from the area Caveira was guarding. He couldn't help but think of the worst, but he had to force his mind to focus, otherwise they might end up they might end up like her.

"I'm almost done." IQ said "Just give a few more-"

A flash of light hit the window, barely missing buck but completely hit IQ, revealing her to the patrols. They began firing at it, Buck diving into IQ so that they were both on the floor, covered in broken safety glass as the bullets shattered the window.

IQ's eyes met Buck's for a second. "Uh, thanks."

"Don't thank me yet." Buck said. He pulled out his pistol, pushed himself off her and began to blindly fire out the window. He heard one of the patrols fall to the floor and the rest of the patrols continued firing at them as they began to advance toward the window.

Buck grabbed a flash bang from his vest and threw it out the window, landing at their feet. The patrols both turned away from it and Buck popped up from the window, took two shots and both patrols hit the ground with a thud. He vaulted over, picked up the unused grenade and put it back on his vest.

"Works everytime." He said with a chuckle.

He made it back to the room just as IQ unplugged her hard drive from the computer. "Come on, we're close to the hangar." IQ said "Get on the comms, tell them where it is and to meet us there."

Jager hid in the plane, his grip on the handle of his carbine tightening whenever one of the patrols got to close to him. They began flashing their lights at the cockpits again, approaching each plane even closer than they already were. One of the patrols flashed a light at his plane's cockpit. Jager was as low as he could possibly go, but if the patrol continued advancing towards the plane at the rate he was going he was going to be spotted.

Just as the light was about to hit him, several shots rang out, shocking everyone in the hangar. The light immediately went away from the plane.

"What the fuck was that?" he heard one of the patrols yell to the others.

Jager thought it was the others, but he knew they were not dumb enough to risk their positions. Those shots could have only come from the white masks, but that means they were spotted anyway. He could only hope they were okay, because he was not much help being pinned down in the hangar.

A few of the patrols left to check the noise, but there were still too much for him to take on all at once.

"Pereira, come in." IQ said over the comms.

They had told the others to head to the hangar and although Ela and Capitao responded, Caveira's end was quiet. They asked her again, she was still quiet.

"Why isn't she answering?" Buck asked "Do you think something happened to-"

"Wait," IQ cut him off "do you hear that?"

Buck tried tried to listen as best as he could and although he couldn't hear it at first, once it was quiet enough the sound was as clear as day.

It was static. Faint, but it was still there.

Buck and IQ approached the sound. As they got closer, they saw it was one of their comms and it was sitting in a tiny pool of blood. IQ walked over and picked it up, examining it in the light.

"It's Pereira's." IQ said "What happened." A flash of light came from the end of the hall nearly spotting both of them. Buck pushed IQ into the room next to them. He switched of the lights inside and told IQ to stay quiet. He watched the patrols spot the comms on the ground and report it back to the others. Buck heard someone on the radio tell them to go back. The two patrols turned around to leave but the third stayed put.

"What's wrong?" he was asked.

The patrol didn't move. He approached the door of the room Buck and IQ were hiding in. "This wasn't open a while ago." He declared and entered the room. Buck dove behind a desk as he turned on the lights. He didn't have time to check if IQ was able to hide as well. The patrol began to examine the room, checking every place where someone could hide.

Buck peeked through a hole in the desk. He saw the patrol approach the pillar IQ was hiding behind. He saw her reach for pistol and the panic in her eyes when she realized her holster was empty. She left it at the computer.

IQ began to panic, desperately looking at Buck for help. His pistol was empty and the patrol was too far from him that he'll spot IQ before he can take him down. They were both out of options, without thinking Buck unslung his CAMRS from his shoulder, popped up from behind the desk and shot the patrol, the roar of the skeleton key echoing through the room.

The remaining patrols turned and entered the room. Just as they were about to shoot him, one of the patrols fell to the ground and when the other patrol turned around, Caveira shoved her knife in his throat, looking him in the eye as she twisted it before forcefully yanking it out.

Caveira walked over both dead bodies and picked up her comms.

"Pereira?" Buck asked "Why weren't you answering us?"

"I heard the shots from the hallway." She said "I knew you two would contact us so I figured why not use it as bait, see if anyone was retarded enough to fall for it, and someone did."

"Well it fooled the patrols." IQ said.

"I was talking about you two."

Jager heard a patrol yell at the others and they all left the hangar. He slowly got up and sure enough he was the only person left in the hangar. A quick sweep around and he saw why. He got on the radio to talk to everyone.

"Guys," he said "we have a problem."

"What's wrong?" Ela asked.

"The patrols just left the hangar."

"How is that a problem?"

"They don't have to guard the hangar anymore because they now that there is no way for us to leave." He said "They got the fucking anti-aircraft guns working."

All of them heard this over the radio. "What are we going to do?" Caveira asked "Even if we do get on the plane we won't get very far if those guns are functioning."

"I have an idea." IQ said "I sent the schematics of this place to your phones. Ela, Capitao, meet us at the control center, if we can take out the controls for the AA guns we can fly out of here."

"Understood." Ela said over the comms "We can swing by the armory on the way there, get some explosives."

Buck, IQ and Caveira went on their way to the control center, not bothering to be quiet anymore, since their position was revealed anyway. They ran through the base, gunning down anyone who wasn't Ela or Capitao.

On the way to the control center, the three of them rounded a corner and were met with soldiers facing them, guns at the ready. There were a lot of them, too many for the three of them to take on all at once. They were yelled at to drop their guns and get on their knees, and they were forced to oblige. One of the soldiers stepped forward and they heard a beep. After a small explosion, they were all disoriented feeling both drunk and hungover at the same time. As Buck struggled to regain his vision, Ela and Capitao came up from behind the crowd of soldiers, gunning them down faster than they could recover from the GRZMOT mine.

Ela and Capitao ran over toward them, nearly dragging them up as they tried to outrun the soldiers behind them. "Come on," Ela said "the control center is a straight shot from here."

Once Buck, IQ and Caveira were stable enough to run on their own, they bolted through the hallway to the control center, bullets whizzing past their heads. Two of the bullets hit IQ, one in her leg, the other in her back. She fell to the ground hitting Ela on the way down. They were both on the ground now, the soldiers closing in on them. Buck and Capitao began to fire at the crowd, giving Ela enough room to drag IQ into the control center. The two of them entered after her and closed the door.

Caveira got a wall reinforcement from the supply locker in the room and put it on the door.

"Ela, plant the explosives already so we can get the fuck out of here."

"Oh shit." Ela said "Oh fuck! They're not on me anymore. I think I dropped them outside."

"What?" Buck asked "We have to do something quick or Monika will bleed out."

Everyone looked at IQ, who wasn't getting any better. "I know what to do." Caveira said "Take the hatch down there. It's a straight shot to the hangar. Take her to the plane, there's a medkit there, it should be enough to stabilize her until we get back to HQ."

Buck nodded and helped IQ to her feet. He helped her down the hatch and they made their way to Jager. Fortunately for them, most of the soldiers were occupied with the control center so they didn't run into anyone on the way there, but that wasn't their biggest problem.

"Sebastien, s-stop." IQ said, slowing down. Buck stopped and sit her up against the wall. "I'm just slowing you down. Just go."

Buck slung his CAMRS over his shoulder. "Monika, listen to me. I will carry you to the fucking plane if I have to. I am not leaving you."

"Dumbass."

Buck carried IQ the way he would a hostage if they were too injured to move. "That will not be your last word to me." He slowly walked toward the hangar, being careful not to hurt IQ than she already was. "Hang in there Monika, we're almost there."

They entered the hangar and saw one patrol guarding the planes. He sat IQ against the wall again, saying he'll be back. IQ wasn't sure how long he was gone, but it was long enough for the patrol to spot her. He approached her with his gun up asking her where the others were.

"Right here."

The patrol turned around to face the barrel of Buck's skeleton key. His corpse hit the ground and Buck carried IQ again. "Did you just bait me?" she asked.

"Uh, no." Buck answered.

"You're lucky I have two bullets inside me."

He brought her into the plane, Jager helping him carry her inside. "Marius, you have first aid training right?"

"Ja, I'll go get it." He answered.

Buck laid IQ down on the floor of the plane and put pressure on the wounds. "I wish we got to know each other better." IQ told Buck, despite him telling her to save her strength.

"What are you talking about, we have been friends since I arrived in Munich."

IQ held onto Buck's arm, "I've always wanted more. I'm sorry I only told you now."

Before Buck could react, Jager pushed him aside, holding a medkit. "I can take care of her from here. More soldiers are headed here, keep them off us please."

Buck unslung his CAMRS, loaded a fresh mag in it and stepped outside the plane, ready to face the battalion of soldiers headed his way.

Ela, Capitao and Caveira stood in the command center, watching the spark on the reinforced wall as the soldiers began to cut through it. Ela heard Capitao say something to Caveira in brazilian, and she answered to him in the same way.

They both turned to her. "Go, get out of here." Caveira told her "We'll catch up. Tell the pilot to get ready."

Ela did as she was told and headed down the hatch. She ran into the hangar, surprised by the amount of corpses surrounding Jager's plane. She entered the plane, walking past a blood covered Buck and told Jager to start the plane.

"Pereira," Ela said through the comms "we're ready, whatever you're going to do, do it quick."

"We're already doing it."

Ela was confused "What?"

"We'll keep them out of the control center long enough for you to get out of here." Capitao said.

"But then you'll be stuck here."

"Maybe," Capitao said "but you and the intel you got won't be."

While Ela was processing what they just told her, more soldiers entered the hangar, their shots ringing of the plane. "If we don't leave now, we don't leave at all." Jager yelled "The two of you get your asses in the plane."

"We've made up our mind." Caveira said "We won't be leaving here today, but that doesn't me you have to stay with us."

Jager swore as they took off, the sound of gunfire being less and less audible the farther they got from the base.


	6. Chapter 6

Jager's plane landed on the HQ, several of Team Rainbow's paramedics waiting for them with a gurney. Buck gently laid an unconscious IQ on the gurney and followed them as they wheeled her off to the infirmary. Ela was told to head to the infirmary as well, to get any injuries she may have checked out as part of procedure. She entered the infirmary, running into Rook who was talking with Doc as he was preparing to operate on IQ.

"Hey," he said "are you okay?"

Ela silently shook her head, "It's my fault."

"What are you talking about?"

"Pereira and Souza stayed behind." Ela said "They got the anti-aircraft guns working. If I hadn't lost the explosives they didn't have to stay behind so that the soldiers can't use them."

"Ela…" Rook began but she cut him off.

"We have to do something." She said "The two of them won't make it far on their own. There were way too many soldiers when we left."

Rook shifted his weight from one foot to the other, the way someone who was nervous to suggest something to someone would. "There is one thing we can do." He said.

Ela studied Rook's face, there was only one thing he could suggest that would make him look this guilty. "No." she said "There is no way I'm doing that."

Despite Ela's objections, the two of them ended up standing outside of the Director of Operations office. They knocked, and waited for the footsteps to approach the door.

"Hey, Zofia." Ela said

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Can we talk about it inside?" Ela asked.

Zofia stepped aside and pushed the door all the way open to let Ela and Rook in. She closed the door behind them and sat down behind her desk and waited for Ela to start talking.

"We need your help." She said "Two operators got left behind. We need to know if their okay."

Zofia stared at Ela and crossed her arms, the tension in the air thicker than Ela and Rook combined. "Ela, we are very occupied at the moment." Zofia said "The soonest I can spare a relief team for them is in forty-eight hours."

"Two days?" Ela was flabbergasted "They could be dead by then!"

"Ela that's the best I can do at the moment."

Ela stood up and slammed her hands on the table, not realizing how angry she really was. "No it's not! Two of our own operators are out there alone so that the rest of us could get back safely. They risked their lives for us and you can't even spare a single fucking relief team?"

Despite all this, Zofia stayed calm. "Ela please lower your voice." she said "I want to help them as much as you do but there really is nothing I can do at the moment."

"Bullshit!" Ela yelled "You have a whole outpost of operators at your disposal and yet you choose to sit on your ass. Send whoever is available, I can go with them."

"That's not going to happen."

"Why? Because I'm your sister?" Ela asked.

"Because you just got back." Zofia said "You haven't even been here for thirty minutes and you want to leave again. And I can't just send whoever I want out because I can't be sure if they will be needed all of a sudden. It's too dangerous."

"It's better than leaving them to die!"

Rook held Ela's arm. "Ela, calm down. We didn't come here to fight with anyone."

Ela yanked her arm from Rook and stormed out of Zofia's office. Rook apologized and got up to leave but Zofia stopped him. "Wait," she said "I know I come off as an asshole but I really do just want the best for Ela. I don't know you Nizan, but she listens to you. Please keep an eye on her."

Rook nodded and left, closing the door behind him.

/

Capitao and Caveira quietly stared at the door as the sparks continued to cut through it. They loaded up on ammunition from the supply locker, hoping they both gave the others enough time to get out safely.

"Are you ready Taina?" Capitao asked "One last time."

Caveira gave him a hug just as the white masks finished cutting through the door. She threw both her impacts at the hole while Capitao emptied his LMG, taking out a few before the white masks began to fire back.

"Vicente! Let's go!" Caveira yelled over the noise as she went down the hatch. Capitao fired a few more rounds into the broken door before he went down the hatch himself. The two of them ran as fast as they could from the control center. They reached the hangar, running over the corpses from the previous engagement of their team members.

"Do you know how to fly a plane?" Capitao asked. Caveira shook her head. "Then we're driving out of here." Caveira broke into one of the trucks and began to jimmy her knife into the ignition while Capitao slashed the tires of the other trucks. After a little more jimmying, Caveira got the truck started and Capitao got in the bed of the truck, firing the mounted gun just as the white masks entered the hangar. Caveira's foot hit the accelerator, trying to put as much distance between them and the base before the white masks could catch up.

"Where are we headed?" Capitao asked.

"Anywhere but here."

Both of them looked around, trying to find somewhere they can hide, although being in the desert, their options were limited.

"Taina," Capitao yelled "I saw a small town on the way here."

"I saw it too," Caveira answered "but we'd have to turn around. We'll be running back to the fight."

"It's better than driving in a random direction. Who knows how far we have to go before we see anything." Capitao said "They might have the trucks ready, if we don't turn around now it might be too late."

Caveira was on the fence, trying to decide what to do. "Goddammit." She turned the truck around and drove as fast as she could and as far as she could from the base without veering off course. As they drove past the base, Capitao fired the mounted gun again, forcing the white masks to hide behind the trucks as they sped by.

The white masks entered the other trucks and began to pursue them, driving even more recklessly than Caveira as they desperately tried to catch up to them. One of the trucks rammed them from behind, jostling it hard enough to throw Capitao off the mounted gun. One of the passengers hopped onto the bed of the truck, tackling Capitao to the floor.

Caveira looked at the rear view mirror and saw one of the soldiers struggling with Capitao. She sped up, throwing him off Capitao, landing at the back of the flatbed. Capitao kicked him with both feet, the soldier landing on the hood of the truck behind them. Capitao got up and got on the mounted gun, scaring the driver of the truck behind them to back off.

Another truck hit them from the side, lifting their truck on two wheels momentarily. The truck turned away before going in for another hit, the impact nearly throwing Capitao off the truck.

"Hang on!" Caveira yelled, grabbing the shotgun stashed behind the seats. As the truck came in for another hit, she fired off two shots, one for the passenger, the other for the front wheel. She slammed on the brakes, the truck rolled in front of their truck, barely missing them.

They got rammed from behind again, lifting the back wheels. As soon as they made contact on the ground, Caveira floored it, leaving the soldiers in the dust. The truck slowed down, giving them some distance as one of the passengers stuck out the window holding rocket launcher.

"Taina!" Capitao yelled.

Caveira hit the brakes and turned the wheel to the right, the rocket landing just in front of them, the explosion stalling the engine. Caveira jammed her knife in the ignition again, trying to start it back up, not even noticing the truck hurtling toward them until it was too late. The impact of the collision lifted half the truck and threw Capitao of the flatbed.

Capitao landed on the hood of the other truck. "Motherfuckers!" he yelled as he pulled out his sidearm, shooting at the tempered windshield glass, cracking it enough for it to break when he drove his fist through it. He grabbed the driver by neck and slammed his head onto the dashboard. He then grabbed the steering wheel and jerked it to the left, making it spin out, hitting their truck in the process.

Both trucks rolled over, throwing Capitao off completely and trapping Caveira inside the truck. Capitao got up and ran over towards the now upside down truck Caveira was confined in. She kicked the door open and Capitao helped pull her out of the truck.

"Come on. We have to get to the-" Capitao yelled as the driver of the other truck crawled out and shot him in the back, the bullets exiting his stomach. He fell on Caveira, who immediately shot the driver. He groaned as Caveira tried to get him to his feet.

"The town is not that far." Caveira said "Let's get you some help."

She let Capitao lean on him and they limped to the town, Caveira trying to move as fast as she can without worsening Capitao's current state. After a few more minutes of limping they made it to the outskirts of the town.

"No, no, no, this can't be happening." Caveira said as she saw that the town was emptier than their guns, the residents apparently abandoning the town the same time the military base was.

"Hang in there Vicente, I'll get you some help." Caveira said as she broke into an abandoned pharmacy. She laid Capitao onto the counter table. She grabbed some disinfectant, painkillers and gauze, and headed to Capitao. She gave him something to bite down on as she poured disinfectant on his bullet wounds apologizing when she heard him grunt in pain. She wrapped gauze around his wounds and gave him a few painkillers.

"Stay here, I'll be back." She said, walking towards the window. She saw two more trucks with soldiers in them roll up into the down. She closed the blinds and barricaded the door. She went up the stairs to the roof just as the truck pulled up to the front of the pharmacy. She grabbed a brick from the roof and threw it at the window of the store in front of the pharmacy. When the soldiers turned to the noise, Caveira shot both of them.

The driver got out of the car and shot at her, forcing her back into the pharmacy that two more soldiers just entered. On the way down she hit the circuit breaker, cutting all the lights out hopefully conceiling a vulnerable Capitao in the darkness. She snuck past both soldiers and closed the door, locking them inside.

Both soldiers turned on their flashlights, lighting a beacon in the darkness for Caveira. She couldn't help but smile as she pulled out her knife and wiped the blood of it on her sleeve. This was going to be fun.

Two dead soldiers later, and Caveira was wiping blood off her knife again. She heard the radio of one of the dead soldiers come to life. "What the fuck is taking too long?" it said "We're coming in." Caveira's heart raced. She needed to act quickly, if the other soldiers came in they were both fucked.

She grabbed a chair and threw it out the window, jumping out along with it. She shot two of the soldiers and ran leading the others soldier away from the pharmacy and away from Capitao. She broke into a grocery store and hid as the soldier burst into the store after her. She snuck around the shelves, behind the soldiers, stepping on a plastic container before she could ambush them, the cracking of the container alerting the soldier nearest to her. He turned around just as she was about to knife him.

Both of the shot at the same time.

/

In the recreation room, Ela and Rook sat next to each other.

Ela was trying to drown herself in some alcohol that Mira managed to smuggle in a few nights back. "They're out there Julien." She said "They are out there, alone with god knows how many soldiers on their ass and it's all my fault."

Ela tried to take another sip but Rook took the bottle from her before she could, "Ela don't do this to yourself." He said "That's not on you, alright. You were faced with a shitty situation and you did what any of us would have done and because of that Monika is still with us."

"And because of that Pereira and Souza aren't." she said.

"There was no way you could have seen that happen." Rook said "Don't beat yourself up over something no one could have done anything about."

Ela wrestled the bottle back from Rook. "Well I can do something about it now."

"What?"

She took a big sip from the bottle before looking Rook dead in the eye.

"I'm going back for them."


	7. Chapter 7

"Ela you can't be serious." Rook said.

"I can be and I am."

"You just got out of that shithole." Rook said "Do you really want to go back?"

"Julien, if it weren't for them I wouldn't be talking to you right now." Ela said "Now that I have I chance to return the favor I'm going to take it."

"Ela it's too dangerous."

Ela groaned, "Why are you so bent out of shape Julien? It's not like I'm asking you to come with me."

"Well I'm not letting you go alone." Rook said.

"She's not."

Ela and Rook both turned around. Valkyrie was standing in the doorway. "I'm coming with you."

"You two can't be serious." Rook said "How do you expect to get your weapons from the armory, or a plane from the hangar without attracting Six's attention."

"Don't bullshit me Nizan." Valkyrie said "I know you people smuggle things in here. How hard can it be to smuggle them out."

Rook was slightly shocked that she knew about that, but that wasn't important now. "Smuggling alcohol is one thing. Smuggling a plane is another, Castellano. And even if we do get it out of here, who'll fly it?"

"Streicher will." Valkyrie said.

"And what makes you think he'll say yes?" Rook asked.

"It's Streicher, of course he'll say yes." Valkyrie said "Come on, they're waiting in the rec room."

"They?" Rook asked, but Valkyrie already turned to leave and Ela followed but Rook stopped her. "Ela wait. Before I left your sister's office, she told me to keep an eye on you."

Ela just looked at him. "How are you going to do that if you don't come with us?"

The two of them left, leaving Rook alone. "Goddammit." He said, getting up to follow them.

The recreation room was not as full as Mira told him during his first day here, only harboring Ash, Buck, Mira, Castle and the three of them. They were talking over the table when Rook arrived all of them planning to leave the outpost in a few hours.

"Have any of you talked to Marius yet?" Ash asked.

"I'll take care of that." Castle said "What about surveillance."

"That's what you're worried about?" Rook asked "How do we get our guns from the armory. I don't feel comfortable going after them with just our sidearms."

"Already taken care of." Thermite said entering the room and dropping a duffel bag on the table. Rook opened it and sure enough their guns were all there. "The guard there still owes me for the alcohol I smuggled in the other night. As long as we get them back by tomorrow he'll stay quiet."

"I'll talk to Grace." Valkyrie said "See if she has something that can give us access to the cameras in the base. Someone talk to Streicher."

"I'll do it." Castle said "Julien, can you ask Pichon for some drones? We might need them."

The three of them left, Rook and Valkyrie heading to the workshop, while Castle went to Jager's quarters. He knocked on the door and Jager opened it a crack, saw Castle and closed it again.

"Oh come on Marius." Castle said.

"It's too dangerous Miles." He answered through the door.

"This job is too dangerous Marius. That shouldn't stop us from doing what's right."

"Maybe, but we barely got out last time. I don't want to put any more people in danger. I'm not the only pilot in the outpost Miles, I'm sorry but I can't."

"But you're the only pilot we can trust." Castle said "They risked their lives for you, man. You don't want to do the same?"

Jager's door swung open so that he was facing Castle. "Of course I want to do the same." He said "Do you know how hard it is to fall asleep at night knowing that the only reason you're here is because someone else isn't? But Ela's bitch of a sister made it clear that we can't do anything about it. I can't step a foot outside of here let alone bring my plane with me."

"Are you really going to let that stop you?" Castle asked "You know as much as I do that if you're the one out there that we'd do everything in our power to get you back."

"And who's going to convince Zofia to allow that? You?"

"Marius, I'll have you know I am good at convincing people. I'll even convince the guard to give us a release order for your plane."

Jager scoffed. "If you pull that off I just might fly you guys."

"Keep that plane on neutral because it's about to leave soon."

Jager watched Castle walk down the hall to the hangar. "That's not how planes work." He said as he entered his room.

Castle walked down the halls to their hangar. He approached the guard's office and asked for a release form for a plane.

"What for?" he was asked.

"To take a plane out."

"I know that, dumbass. Why do you need to take it out?"

Yikes. Castle was faced with a guard that had no tolerance for his bullshit. He needed to make this quick. He leaned in slightly, "Listen man, do you really want to sit there and listen to me about topping the oil to stabilize pressure in the primary cockpit because one axel broke off during terminal velocity?"

The guard blinked at him.

Castle grabbed the release form from his hand. "Don't make your job harder than it has to be man." He walked back feeling proud of himself when Jager spoke to him on his comms.

"Everything you just said was bullshit Miles." He said.

"Well it's still sounded pretty smart for something I just pulled out of my ass."

"No it wasn't." Jager said "It really wasn't. You're just lucky he knew less about planes than you do."

"Just be happy I got the form Marius. Meet me in the rec room."

Castle walked in to the recreation room, Jager right behind him. He set the form down on the table. "Guess who just talked the guard into giving us this?"

Mira took the form and examined it. "That's great Campbell." She said "Now talk Zofia into signing this."

"What?"

"It says here you need a signature from the director of operations." Mira said "And if I remember correctly, she wasn't too eager to help the last time we asked her."

Castle grabbed the form from Mira and turned to Jager. "You knew about this didn't you?" Jager just shrugged. Castle sighed, "I'll be back."

"Bad idea Campbell." Ela said "The only thing you'll talk her into is shoving her foot up your ass. Give me the form." She took it from Castle and a grabbed a pen. "Whenever my father was away on a mission and I had a form or a permit, I had to get a signature from my legal guardian. I have been forging her signature since I was twelve."

Ela finished and showed it to the others and sure enough, none of them could tell the difference.

"Nice try Marius but you're still flying us out of here." Castle said.

"Okay, you have a release form. What do we do about the tracker?"

"Take it out." Valkyrie said as she and Rook returned "Say it got shot off on the flight back." She gave Ash a flash drive and told her to plug it in her laptop. "Once we plug the other transmitter into one of the cameras in the base you'll have access to the entire surveillance system."

Rook walked past them and dropped a duffel bag on the table. He opened it and handed everyone armor. He set two drones on the table, stating that it was all Twitch could spare.

"It should be enough." Buck said "Marius take the tracker out of the plane and get it ready."

"I can't believe I'm doing this." Jager said as he left for the hangar.

Buck went to follow him when Castle stopped him. "You look like you haven't slept since you got here. Are you sure you want to go, you have to be exhausted."

"Damn right I'm exhausted, Miles. But those fuckers put Monika in the infirmary. I'm putting them in the ground."

Everyone continued making preparations, Mira and Ash testing the transmitter Dokkaebi gave them on the outpost's cameras. "Are we just going to ignore the fact that Grace can see everything we do whenever she wants?" Ash asked.

"If she sees what I do before I go to sleep every night that's her loss." Mira said.

"Oh God don't remind me, I can still hear the buzzing sound in my head." Rook said "We're about to leave soon are you sure the transmitter works?"

Ash unplugged it from the laptop and gave it to Rook. "Just plug it in one of the cameras and Elena, Miles and I can take it from here."

Rook nodded at them and left for the hangar, everyone else waiting for him on the plane.

"If you're going to be late Julien don't bother showing up at all." Jager said.

Rook apologized and entered the plane. Jager taxied it for takeoff, the plane leaving the hangar just in time for lights out.

Castle, Mira and Ash stood in the rec room, staring at the laptop.

"Eliza, you know they won't be there for another half an hour." Castle said "You don't have to stare at the screen all night."

"He's right." Mira said "Besides, its past lights out, this place will be packed soon. We need to move."

"To where?"

"We can go to the workshop." Castle said "Pichon's the only one who's usually there at this time. She and Julien are close, we can trust her."

The three of them left the rec room and entered the workshop. Twitch was asleep on her desk, snoring as she held her drone like a teddy bear. The others just stood there awkwardly watching her when Castle decided to wake her up.

"Hey Pichon," he shook her "Pichon wake up."

Twitch shot upward saying that she wasn't asleep to no one in particular before acknowledging Castle and the others.

"Julien and the others already left and we need someplace private to monitor them when they get to the base." Ash said.

Twitch yawned. "You should be good here, not many people visit the workshop after lights out. Just say you're programming or something if someone does swing by here." She turned to Castle "Do you have the keys to our room, I feel like sleeping in an actual bed for once."

Castle gave her the keys, she thanked him and left, bringing her drone with her. Behind Castle was a confused Mira who asked him if she slept with her drone every night.

"Yes she does. I try not to talk about it, it's kind of weird."

/

IQ woke up wearily. She may be conscious but the drugs they injected into her was still well inside her system. Her eyes scanned the room searching for Buck. Once she saw the trademark white fatigues of the JTF2 hidden behind a newspaper she tried to sit up, her injuries immediately disagreeing with her. She groaned in pain alerting the other person in the room.

"Look who decided to wake up. You okay?"

IQ was slightly shocked when the voice was more feminine than she expected. The newspaper was set on the table, revealing Frost. IQ's heart sank. "Oh, hi Tina."

"Do you have a problem with me Weiss?" Frost asked, noticing the disappointment in her voice.

"No, it's just…I was expecting Sebastien."

Frost took off her beanie and ran a hand through her hair. "Well you just missed him. Something came up and he asked me to watch over you."

"Did he say what he had to do?" IQ asked.

"No but I did hear someone ask him about talking to Streicher."

"Oh God."

"What's wrong?"

"They're going back for them."

Frost actually seemed surprised. She leaned in to whisper even though they were the only two people in the room. "You really think so?"

IQ nodded. "Can you ask Zofia where they stand at the moment?"

Frost shook her head, "I don't think she knows."

"Why not?"

"Sebastien's not one to be secretive." Frost said "If he's acting like that they probably went behind her back. If she finds out and send a tactical team after them, it could alert the white masks."

"So what happens if they need help?"

"They're damn good operators Weiss. I'm sure they're capable of taking care of themselves."

IQ agreed but she was still doubtful. "I hope so."


	8. Chapter 8

"It's clear."

Thermite's drone rolled back to him so he could pick it up. He put it in his bag and pulled out one of his exothermic charges. He put it against the reinforced the door. He pushed the others back as he hit the detonator. "It's about to get hot."

The charge burned through the door, sparks flying out before the C4 takes it out completely. Thermite entered the hole with his gun up, followed be the others. They did a quick sweep of the room, in case Thermite's drone missed anyone.

Buck walked over to the broken camera and stuck his hand out to Valkyrie. "Castellano," he said "the transmitter."

Valkyrie reached into her bag and took it out. She gave it to Buck who then plugged it in.

"Eliza, we're good on this end."

Back at the base, Ash plugged the receiver in her laptop and after a few seconds, she now had eyes on them, and everything else in the base. She split the screen so that she could see all the cameras at once and at the corner of the screen she saw a soldier take out on of the cameras.

"You took out a lot of them the last you were here but you're still outnumbered." Ash said "This place is already discovered, they're preparing to move. If you can cut them off, that's one less outpost to worry about."

They made their way through the base going the same route they went the first time they were here until they reached the computer IQ hacked.

"Wait." Buck said.

He went in the room, taking IQ's pistol from the table. He took the magazine out, counting the few shots that it had to its name. He holstered her pistol and walked back to the others. "Cohen, any sign of them?"

"No, but you have a lot of hostiles up ahead."

Buck threw a drone to scout ahead. It immediately got shot as it rounded the corner.

"How many are there?" Rook asked.

"Too many."

"What do we do then?" Ela asked "If they already know we're here it won't be long until they'll be coming from behind as well."

"I have an idea." Rook said "Jordan get your flashes ready. Castellano, Ela come with me."

Rook, Ela and Valkyrie entered the room next to the hallway. "Right there." Rook pointed to a spot in the wall and Valkyrie placed her C4 on it.

"Okay Jordan," Rook said "throw it."

Thermite threw a flash in the hallway, Valkyrie blowing her C4 at the same time. The three of them jumped out of the hole in the wall shooting the soldiers from the back just as Buck and Thermite rounded the corner, taking out all the soldiers from both sides.

Once they were clear, the five of them entered the hangar. All the planes were still there but the trucks weren't. Rook knelt down to examine the tire tracks in the dirt. "These are fresh. They couldn't have gone far."

Ela knelt down next to Rook. "That doesn't tell us where they went though."

Behind them, Valkyrie started on of the trucks. "That's just miles of sand in that direction." She said "There's only one other place they could have gone."

The other got in the truck. "Hey Marius," Thermite said "meet us at the town we saw on the way here."

"The cameras don't reach that far guys." Ash said over the comms "You're on your own. Good luck."

/

Ash, Castle and Mira sat in silence in the workshop, waiting for anymore news about the others. Castle got up and stretched. "I'm taking a leak." He said before leaving.

"Damn it now I have to piss too." Mira said, getting up to leave "Hold down the fort will you."

Just as Ash was left alone, Zofia walked past the workshop, seeing Ash while her laptop was open. She immediately shut the screen but Zofia was already on her way to her.

"What are you doing? It's past midnight why are you still up?" she asked.

"Well, technically no one ever said you had to go to sleep after lights out."

"That's because its common sense." Zofia said "And what are you hiding on that laptop?"

Ash's mind went completely blank thinking of an excuse. "Uh, I was watching porn."

"What?"

Really? Of all the excuses that's what her mind went with? "Y-yeah, I' touching myself to some super fucked up shit right now could you come back later?"

That didn't seem to make Zofia go away but at least she wasn't asking to see the laptop anymore. "That's not appropriate for the workplace Cohen."

"Well excuse me for trying to blow off some steam." Ash said "Now could you leave? You kind of caught me on the edge and I just want to finish myself."

"Jesus Christ Cohen." Zofia walked away, mumbling how disgusting she was under her breath.

When she left, Castle and Mira entered the room. "Are you finished or should we come back?" Castle asked.

"Shut up Miles." Ash said "You're as guilty as I am."

"Get your hands out of your pants and check on them will you?" Mira said "They haven't said anything in a while and I'm starting to get worried."

"Relax Elena they now what they're doing." Ash said, just as they heard something detonate in the distance "Besides, it looks like we have our own problems."

"What's going on?" Castle asked "Eliza, you still have access to the cameras right? Check it out will you."

Ash did what she was told, switching to the camera on the front gate, just as a handful of white masks entered the outpost. "Shit. Are you guys seeing this?" Ash asked "Elena wake everyone up. Miles, get to the armory open it up before it gets secured by the white masks."

The two of them left, Mira running to the operator's quarter's while Castle headed to the armory. Mira knocked on every door yelling at everyone to wake up. One of the room's resident opened the door before Mira could knock on it. Tachanka emerged in the doorway, towering over Mira. "What?" he asked.

"Hey Alexsandr, remember that favor you owed me for the shield on your turret?" Mira asked "I know how you can repay me."

Castle made his way to the basement, nearly running into a group of white masks. He hid behind the wall, whispering into his comms, asking help from Ash.

"There's only four of them Miles, on my signal, go."

Castle took his M45 from his holster waiting for Ash to tell him when to go. When Ash gave him the signal, he jumped from behind the wall and emptied his pistol just as the white masks turned around. He walked over their corpses to the armory and swiped his ID on the lock. Before he could open the door, he felt a gun on his back.

"Don't move asshole."

Castle's grip on his pistol tightened. He elbowed the white mask's arm, jerking it upward the gun falling from his hand. He kicked him backward and turned around with his gun pointed at the white mask's chest. He pulled the trigger, panicking when he heard the telltale clicking sound of an empty gun.

Before either of them could react, someone grabbed the white masks from behind and lifted him up before dropping him hard on the floor. Tachanka said nothing as pushed past Castle into the armory, grabbing his DP-28. Castle grabbed his UMP along with Mira's vector and Ash's rifle.

More white masks clustered up in a hallway as they tried to break into the outpost's intelligence room. They placed a charge on the door when a small ball with blue light rolled in front of their feet. One of the soldiers picked it up and examined it and when the blue light went out, everything else did, including the electric detonator of the explosive.

When the lights on the hallway turned on again, Tachanka was already behind them, LMG at the ready. "вы, ублюдки, не уважали мать россии!" he yelled as he filled the hallway with corpses, painting the walls with blood "встаньте на колени перед вашим господином и спасителем!".

Tachanka stowed his LMG and pulled out his smg, and walked toward Thatcher, thanking him for the distraction. "Come on," Thatcher said "they're hold up in the infirmary."

"Open up, it's Baker." Thatcher said, knocking on the door of the infirmary. The three of them entered, Castle tossing Mira and Ash their weapons. He set his UMP on the table and checked on IQ.

"You okay?" he asked.

IQ nodded. "Yeah, but I'd rather not get shot again."

"Don't worry. We'll keep them out of here."

Tachanka set his LMG in front of the doorway, while the others barricaded the windows. Zofia was checking the cameras on Ash's laptop, trying to look for Ela. When she couldn't find her, she cocked her rifle and tried to get out to look for her. Mira stopped her.

"Step aside Alvarez, I'm going to look for her." She said trying to sidestep her.

Mira didn't move. "There are too many of them Bosak. We don't need another missing operator."

Zofia pushed past Mira but she grabbed her by the arm. "Get out of my way Alvarez, I have to find her."

She tried to yank her arm back but Mira wasn't letting go. "Calm down Bosak, Ela is safe."

"Oh really? Because unless you know something I don't, you're guess about her safety is as good as mine." Zofia said "So either tell me what you know or let go of me."

Shit. Mira backed herself into a corner. The only way she can stop Zofia from going out there alone was to tell her where Ela and the others went.

So that's what she did.

/

Valkyrie drove through the desert in silence only speaking when she saw the wreckage Caveira and Capitao left behind. "That has to be them."

"Look," Thermite said, pointing to a trail of blood from the truck, "that blood's fresh. They're hurt, Meghan drive faster."

As Valkyrie sped up, Ela started to break down, and Rook noticed. He put an arm around her, "Hey, don't worry we'll find them."

"Even if we do they're already hurt, and that's on me." Ela said.

"But you came back for them, that's what matters."

"You're missing the point Julien." Ela said "They wouldn't be out here at all if it wasn't for me. If anything happens to them, it's because of me."

Rook didn't let go of her. "But anything that doesn't happen to them was because we came back for them. And that's because of you too."

Ela still wasn't looking up. "Maybe."

Valkyrie stopped the truck at the edge of the town, passing by the other trucks parked there. Valkyrie killed the engine and stepped out of the truck, her MPX at the ready. The others did so as well, following the trail of blood Capitao left behind.

They made it to the pharmacy, spotting a few white masks through the window. Valkyrie cocked her smg ready to shoot when Buck grabbed the barrel and pointed it downward. "Do you want the whole town to hear you?" he asked before pulling out IQ's pistol, firing off what's left of its magazine, the suppressor attached to it muffling the sound of the gunshots enough that by the time the white masks heard it, it was too late.

The five of them entered the pharmacy and switched on the circuit breaker. The lights went on, revealing a bloodied Capitao laid on the counter.

"Oh my god." Valkyrie said, running to his side.

Capitao grabbed Valkyrie's hand and squeezed it. "Taina. She's…she's still out there."

Valkyrie let go of Capitao, grabbed her gun and immediately ran out ignoring the others telling her to wait. Thermite and Buck ran after her, leaving Rook and Ela with Capitao.

"Okay Souza, you'll have to work with us here." Rook said, trying to get him up and off the table so they can bring him to Jager's plane. Capitao put his arms around Rook and Ela and the three of them slowly stumbled out of the pharmacy and down the street towards the plane.

Jager brought the plane closer as they walked towards him. When they got closer, Valkyrie and the others ran back towards them.

Thermite was stoic but Rook could tell by his face that something was wrong.

"We found her."


	9. Chapter 9

"That's great." Rook said "Let's go."

"You have to see this first." Thermite said, turning around and walking to the supermarket. Everyone else followed. They entered and it was a mess, blood everywhere, none of them able to take two steps without stepping on a spent cartridge.A lone lightbulb was flickering over an aisle. The others walked towards it and saw Caveira.

She was on the ground surrounded by dead bodies, her Luison was empty in her hand, her own knife was lodged inside her neck. Next to her was _How does it feel bitch?_ written in blood.

Her blood.

Before Rook could process what he was seeing, he felt Capitao get off him, ignoring his injuries as he ran next to her body, breaking down into tears as he held her hand. Next to them was Valkyrie, who was close to tears herself, called Jager in, her voice shaky.

Capitao let go of Caveira and took her Luison from her hand. He brought his hand to her face and closed her eyes. He stepped aside so the others can carry Caveira's body to the plane, while Rook and Ela helped him up again.

The plane ride back was silent, Rook trying to convince Ela it wasn't her fault. He looked over to the back of the plane where Valkyrie and Capitao sat by Caveira's body, not able to tell who was more devastated by her death. As they got closer to the outpost, Jager called in from the cockpit.

"Eliza, we're almost at the outpost. Can you clear out the hangar for us?" Jager said. When Ash didn't answer, Jager tried her again. "Eliza? Come in."

Thermite tapped him on the shoulder. "I don't think she'll be able to answer us Marius." he said, pointing to the smoking wreckage of a front gate their outpost now has. As they flew closer, Jager saw multiple white masks infiltrating the outpost.

"Oh shit."

/

"Seamus, I'm out!" Thatcher yelled as more bullets ripped through the barricades. From across the room, Sledge grabbed an extra magazine for his L85 from his vest and threw it to Thatcher. He caught it mid-air and loaded it just as the white masks finally broke through one of Castle's armor panels.

Tachanka pointed his LMG at the now open window as Castle threw both impacts out the window, one of the corpses flying into the room.

"Campbell, cover that window before any more of those shite masks fly in here." Smoke yelled "I'll cover you, just hold your breath."

Smoke threw one of his canisters out the window, filling the hallway and the lungs of the white masks with his deadly yellow gas. As they cleared the area, Castle ran towards the open window holding his breath and an armor panel, the last of the gas dissipating as he hammered in the last bolt.

Castle backed away from the window, listening to the bullets barely dent the panel. "That should hold them back."

From behind her laptop, Ash was switching through the cameras. "Unless they took my breaching rounds from the workshop."

Ash heard the sound of her breaching round embedding itself into the armor panel, confirming her suspicions. It exploded, the blast sending bits of armor panel flying everywhere. Tachanka pointed his LMG at the window, his barrage of bullets enough to keep the white masks at bay. One of the white masks yelled to the others, and a block of C4 flew in the room, sticking to the shield of Tachanka's LMG.

"блять!" Tachanka jumped off his LMG as the C4 tore it to pieces. "My LMG!" he cocked his smg and sprayed it at the window as he ran to the others. "You motherfuckers!"

From behind him, Zofia was firing her AR, venting her anger into the white masks. "God-fucking-dammit!" she yelled "Why did you only tell me this now Alvarez? If anything happens to her you're fucked!"

Mira yelled at her from behind a medicine cabinet. "I never forced her to do anything." She loaded another mag in her vector. "It was her choice to go after them, what do I have to do with it?"

"You knew where they were going and you didn't say anything." Zofia answered "You're an accomplice. You and all your other friends."

More and more bullets ripped through Castle's armor panels as the white masks began to dare push through the lazerbeam of bullets flying at them. A flashbang flew in the room blinding everyone, and although Castle couldn't see, he definitely felt someone tackle him to the ground. As he slowly regained his vision, he saw a white mask with a knife on top of him, then he saw him get shot from every direction.

Castle threw his empty UMP aside and pulled out his M45. "Tina!" he yelled "Get Monika out of here before they break through more of the armor panels."

Frost nodded, grabbed IQ's IV stand and put her in a wheelchair. She rolled her out of the infirmary, one hand pushing the wheelchair, the other gripping her pistol. They rolled through the hallways, neither of them really sure where they were going but anywhere was better than the infirmary. Frost didn't hesitate to shoot any white mask they came across, counting the shots from her limited ammunition. Her pistol was worth eight more shots.

They heard footsteps coming towards them as they walked down the hallway. It seemed to only be one person, and when a white mask ran into them as he rounded the corner, Frost was proven right.

Seven shots left.

"Go to the roof." IQ said "There's nothing of value to the white masks there. It should be clear."

"Are you good for the stairs?" Frost asked her even though she knew she didn't have a choice. IQ nodded as they stopped at the stairwell. She got up from her wheelchair and threw her arm around Frost, using her IV stand as a crutch. Slowly, they made their way up the stairs, trying to get up the three flights to the roof.

As they reached the second floor, Frost saw two white masks enter the stairwell. She tried to turn back but they were already spotted.

Five shots left.

Frost tried to get IQ to move faster, even though the sound of those two shots would just get lost in the sounds of the countless other. She wasn't taking her chances. IQ groaned as she missed a step, the bullet holes in her legs feeling the brunt of it. Frost apologized as more white masks entered the stairwell. She took them out, reducing her pistol to its last three rounds.

"Almost there Weiss." Frost said "One last push." As the two of them were halfway up the stairs to the roof, white masks filled the stairwell and they were closing in on them, fast. Frost pulled out her pistol and fired of what's left of its mag.

Three.

Two.

One.

The two of them pushed through the door to the roof. Frost set IQ down and scrambled to lock the door behind them. A white mask beat her to it and kicked the door wide open, sending frost to the ground. The white mask stood in front of her, with a pistol in his hand.

A shot rang out, but it wasn't for her. She saw the white mask fall back with a hole in his head, the other white masks from the stairwell soon suffering the same fate. Frost looked behind her, Jager's plane was there with the doors open, revealing Buck, holding his CAMRS, the barrel still smoking.

He jumped onto the roof, along with the others and with them, was a severely injured Capitao. Jager flew off to land the plane in the hangar. "We have to get Souza to the infirmary." Buck said.

"Bad idea Sebastien." Frost said "I wouldn't be bringing Weiss here if the infirmary was safe."

"They're hold up in there." IQ said "They were nearly overrun when we left."

"Then that's where we're headed." Buck said "Castellano, help Tina with the others."

They made their way back down the stairwell, Frost and Valkyrie carrying IQ and Capitao down slowly. Thermite and Buck were in front, kicking in the doors and checking it for hostiles before telling the others to follow. They exited the stairwell on edge, having encountered no terrorists on the way down. That means all the other white masks were all in one place.

And they were looking at it.

From around the corner they saw the infirmary. It was packed from the outside with the inside nearly as full. Buck's grip on his weapon tightened, ready to pounce on the unsuspecting white masks when he felt a gun against the back of his head. He turned around slowly, facing his captor along with his two friends who caught the others.

The eight of them were thrown in the infirmary, relieved of their weapons as they joined the others into captivity. One of the white masks stepped forward, brandishing a pistol. "Alright fuckers," the voice was female, and pissed, "get us inside your intelligence room, or we start killing people." She walked forward and stepped on Capitao's chest. "This one already has a foot in the grave. We'll start with him."

"Wait." Zofia said standing up, immediately having guns pointed at her. The white mask took her foot off Capitao and walked towards her. Zofia continued, "Only a few people have access to that room."

"And let me guess, you're one of them."

Zofia nodded. The white mask grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out. "If anybody tries anything shoot them." She yelled as they left.

The others were held at gunpoint even after Zofia and the white mask were gone. On the ground, Capitao clutched his stomach as he began to bleed more. Doc noticed and he called out to one of the white masks.

"Hey," he said "he needs help, he'll bleed out."

The white mask didn't move. "Do I look like I give a shit?"

"He is going to die. I have everything I need here, just cut me loose and I can help him." Doc begged "Keep a gun on me while I do it just let me help."

The white mask pulled out a knife and pointed it at Doc. He stared at him for a while before cutting his restraints. "I will shoot you if I have to."

Doc got up and lifted Capitao from the ground and laid him on one of the beds. He slowly removed the gauze from him and began to work on his injuries. Ten minutes passed as Doc worked on Capitao while he had a gun on his head.

"Shit." Doc said "I need to take him to the operating room."

"No, that's too much. You said you had everything you need here."

Doc turned around to face the white mask. "It was worse than I thought. I need him in the operating room."

"I don't care. Sit your ass down or I will make you."

"No."

The white mask pulled out a baton and hit Doc in the back of the knee. He fell down.

"Hey!" Rook yelled as he got up. He grabbed the whit mask by the shoulders and slammed him against the wall. The white mask joined Doc in the ground, blood seeping from his forehead. He felt something hit the back of his head. Two white masks dragged him downward and began kicking him into the ground, ignoring the screams of the others begging them to stop.

"That's enough!"

The two white masks stopped when Zofia and the other white mask returned. "Let's go." She said.

"What?" one of the white masks asked "We're leaving?"

"Yes. We have what we came for."

"That's it?" he asked "Why don't we kill them all now? Why wait?"

"Because your commander says so." The female white mask said "Now let's go, I will not wait for you." She said as she turned to leave, and after kicking Rook one more time, the other white masks picked up their colleague on the ground and left as well.

/

Julien flinched as one of the nurses treated his cuts and bruises. "I'm fine." He said, fooling no one. He was hurt, but Capitao was worse. "Just help Doc with Souza. I can take care of a few bruises." The nurse gave him an ice pack and told him to apply it on his wounds before leaving for the operating room. Julien did as he was told, looking around the room to see who else was hurt. Buck was sitting next to IQ, who was still recovering from her previous operation.

From the window, he could see Zofia was yelling at Ela, scolding her for what she and the others did. He got up and walked away from the window before Zofia could see him and give him the same treatment she was giving her sister. He saw Valkyrie sitting in a chair, just finished being checked by one of the nurses. He walked toward her.

"You okay?" he asked.

She kept her head down, "I just, I need to be alone for a while."

Rook nodded and walked over to one of the nurse's table, convinced her that he was okay and gave her the ice pack. He walked to the exit just as Zofia finished with Ela. He tried to walk past them without getting notice.

"Hey Nizan!"

Shit. Julien turned around to face a very pissed Zofia.

"I asked you to keep an eye on Ela and this is what you do?" she yelled at him. "What were you thinking bringing her out there?"

"I didn't bring her anywhere." Rook answered "With or without me she was going after them. Would you prefer she go alone?"

"I'd prefer you tell me she was going out."

"And what would you have done?" Julien asked "You made it clear you weren't going to help."

"I would have stopped you from going on a dangerous and unsanctioned mission."

"Because staying here would have been safer for her right?"

"Nizan!" Zofia was pissed "You put us all in danger when you left. Imagine how differently things could have turned out if we had Castellano's surveillance? Or if we didn't have to worry about a frag or a flashbang every two fucking seconds? What do you think Six will say about this."

"Go ahead, tell her." Rook said "No matter how you put it, we did more in one night than you were willing to do in two days. We saved a life today, and if you let us go sooner, we could have saved two." Rook turned around and walked away, not even pretending to care about any punishment she could give him and the others.

/

Julien sat down for breakfast the next day, noting that Ela now sat with them.

"How long did you get?" she asked.

"Three weeks." He answered.

Everyone else agreed as they got the same sentence. Mira scooched a bit to give Julien some room to sit down. "Well Julien, seeing as how we're all suspended, it looks like we'll get to know each other a lot better."


	10. Chapter 10

Rook's eyes slowly fluttered open as he woke up. The clock on his night stand said it was just past noon. Only twelve more hours before he gets to sleep again. He sighed as he threw the blanket over his head, trying to fall back to sleep. If it was up to him, he'd sleep until the sun was barely visible, it's not like he has anything better to do. In the past two weeks, he found out how slowly time passes when you have nowhere to be, and all he had to do was get suspended.

He eventually gave up trying to go back to sleep, surrendering to the sun shining into his face and his empty stomach. He got up, looking over to Mira's bed. She was long gone. Julien fixed his bed as best he could before leaving the room, stopping by the communal showers on the way to the cafeteria. He splashed cold water on his face to wake himself up completely, then looked at the mirror. If there was anything that time was good for, it was for healing wounds. One could barely tell he had his ass handed to him just two weeks ago.

"Look who finally got up." Mira said as he sat down for lunch. Rook got as much food as he was allowed, just in case they felt like gambling today. If he lost any more food, he'd pass out from hunger, although after going over the things he could do today, that didn't seem like a bad idea. Thankfully, if they did plan on gambling, they already finished before he got there. In fact, they already finished eating before he got there.

"It's an hour past lunch break." Rook said "What are you guys still doing here?"

"And what do you suggest we do then?" Ash asked "Unless you've found a way cut a week off our suspension, we're sitting here for as long as we like."

"Is there really nothing to do?" Rook asked "What about the sparring matches?"

"Castellano's too bummed to leave her room." Thermite said "And with the second best fighter in the infirmary there's not much left for people to bet on."

"What about the shooting range?" Buck said "There's always a handful of recruits there swinging their dicks around trying to prove they're the best shot."

"That's because that's all they're worth. Besides, suspended operators aren't allowed access to firearms until their suspension's over."

"Well then what do you have in mind Campbell?" Buck asked.

Castle shrugged. "You can always compulsively build drones, like Emmanuelle does. She's already built three normal drones, a second shock drone and now she's working on a drone that can detect movement through walls"

"What's she going to do with that?"

Castle shrugged a second time. "She said that if she finds anyone capable of using it properly she'll just give it away."

"That's nice and all but that still doesn't give us anything to do." Ela said "We have access to the internet don't we?"

"Yeah, but as of late most sites are now blocked." Castle said "Thank you for that, by the way, Eliza."

"Fuck you, you think of an excuse under pressure." Ash said.

"Any other excuse would have been better than that." Castle replied.

Rook set his utensils down on his plate. He may have finished eating, but just like the others, he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. They were sitting there until lights out.

/

Valkyrie couldn't sleep that night. Or any other night for that matter, at least since they got back. Caveira kept creeping her way into her mind. She kept seeing her body whenever her eyes were closed, and whenever they weren't she kept thinking about her. Or more specifically, what could have happened with her.

Valkyrie was offered something amazing and it was taken from her before she could fully realize she had it to begin with, and it frustrated her. Her hands squeezed at the covers as she began to tear up in a mixture of rage and grief. She buried her face into her pillow, trying to muffle her cries, for the sake of her neighbors. Thankfully she doesn't have a roommate at the moment, otherwise neither of them would be getting any sleep.

Once she couldn't cry any more tears out, she threw her pillow across the room. God why was she like this? It's not like she hasn't had her heart broken before. She always managed to bounce back after a quick one night stand, and although they technically didn't break up, it should be close enough. She got up, threw on a cleanest pair of clothes she could find and left her room to go to Mira's.

She knocked on the door and Mira answered, clearly not expecting anyone at this time of night as seen by her short shorts and a shirt that was clearly too big for her.

"Oh Castellano," Mira said, slightly surprised "is there anything I can-"

Valkyrie cut her off. "Is Nizan there?"

"No, he hasn't gotten back yet."

"Good." Valkyrie said, pushing Mira inside and closed the door behind them.

"I need your help."

Mira stared at her, unsure of what's happening. "Uh, sure. What do you need?"

"I know you smuggle alcohol." Valkyrie said "I need your help getting out."

"Are you going to tell me why?" Mira asked. Valkyrie shook her head.

Mira just sighed. "Fine. Meet me at the hangar in ten minutes."

/

Valkyrie and Mira stood just outside the base's perimeter. "It's the same way back in. As long you do it correctly, you should be undetected, just try to get back before the sun goes up." Mira said, turning around to go back inside.

Valkyrie walked over to the nearest bar. She tried to get as shitfaced as she can as fast as she can and took the first guy who hit on her to the bathroom. Once they were finished, she put her clothes on, gave the guy a kiss on the cheek as a thank you, left the bar and snuck back into the base. Her watch said that it was just past three in the morning. The stench of alcohol and sex hasn't left her yet, and it could give her away if anyone was too close. She needed to do something about that.

Valkyrie went to down to the communal showers. She took off her clothes and got under the shower, enjoying the warm water crash against her skin. She was so caught up in herself that it wasn't until someone shrieked that she realized she wasn't alone anymore. She turned around and saw Hibana, who started to blush as she covered her eyes.

Valkyrie sighed, too drunk to bother covering herself up. Not that she needed to. "Get over yourself Yumiko, unless you've never showered here before, you've already seen me naked."

"I guess you're right." She said as she slowly lowered her hands from her face. "It's just, I wasn't expecting to see you."

"What were you expecting to see then?"

Hibana shrugged. "I don't know. I was in the workshop when I heard one of the showers turn on. I thought I was the only one awake so I went to check if maybe one of the knobs came off or something."

Valkyrie continued to shower even though she wasn't alone anymore. And now that Hibana had seen her like this, for some reason she can't look away.

Valkyrie noticed. "Hey, I said you didn't have to look away, I didn't say you can stare. Eyes up."

Hibana turned red again. She shifted her gaze so that now she didn't look lower than her neck. "Uh, sorry. It's just, you look like shit."

"Wow, thanks."

"N-no! I mean you look good." Hibana said in a panic, although it didn't really make things any less awkward. "I mean, you look like you feel like shit."

Valkyrie sighed. "Well I do."

"I'm sorry to hear about Pereira."

Valkyrie didn't say anything at first. She didn't want to talk about it, especially since she was showering in front of Hibana, but she needed to vent. "It barely even started, you know?" Valkyrie said, her voice already shaky. "I just started to get through to her. If she hadn't gone on that op, I would have gotten more than just a kiss from her."

"Listen, Meghan, I've had plenty of messy break-ups before and I know you have too. There will always be someone after them. Now they may not be as good, or they may be better, but there will always be someone special waiting for you. I don't know how long it takes to find them, but I do know that hooking up with strangers in a bar at two in the morning doesn't help as much as you think it does."

Valkyrie sniffled. "Thank you Yumiko."

"No problem." Hibana said "I'd give you a hug but, you're wet. And naked."

"Well, I still appreciate the thought."

Hibana smiled. "You're welcome." She said. "Now go put some clothes on."

Valkyrie dried herself as she watched Hibana leave the room. She's never really believed in all that crap, but if there was someone special out there for her, they'd better hurry their ass up.

/

Rook entered his room and there were no traces of Mira anywhere, save for a note on her bed.

 _I had to sneak out with Castellano. Just leave the door unlocked for when I come back. DON'T touch my stash._

Julien wasn't sure why she would do that, but if it gets Valkyrie out of her room, then it was good. And if it gets Mira out of their room, then it's even better. He put the note on the desk and silently apologized to Mira as he lifted her mattress, ignoring her toys as he reached for the secret compartment in her bed frame. He opened it and was faced with numerous flasks, bottles and cans, all filled with alcohol.

He grabbed the strongest one he could find and snuck it up to the roof, once again running into Ela, who was already there. "What is it with you and staying up on the roof all the time?" he asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." She replied.

"Maybe, but I asked you first."

Ela sighed. "It's the only place I can be alone. The silence helps me clear my mind." She said. "I'd ask you why you're here but that bottle already answered me."

Rook smiled and sat down next to her. He opened the bottle, took a sip and coughed. "God, that tastes like shit." He passed the bottle to Ela, who also coughed once she took a sip. They kept passing the bottle back and forth, and when the bottle was halfway, they were more than a little tipsy.

"What did your sister tell you?" Rook drunkenly asked.

"What do you mean?"

"When we got back, I saw your sister chew you out." He said. "What did she say?"

"She asked me what I was thinking and all that crap." Ela said "She also mentioned you, and how you're a bad influence."

"I mean, I was supposed to keep an eye on you."

"Well, technically you did." Ela began to giggle for no reason, and Rook followed so now both of them were giggling at nothing. God, they were drunk.

"But seriously though," Rook said "under all that bitchyness, your sister seems like a good person."

Ela chuckled. "Ok, now that's just the alcohol talking."

"I'm serious." Rook said "She's only mad at you because she cares about your safety, and you put yourself in danger."

"You've known her for about a month." Ela said "Take it from someone who knew her for much, much longer, she is not a good person. She may be like this now, but trust me, she wasn't twenty years ago. You're just believing a façade that she…oh god." Ela shakily stood up, clutching her stomach.

"Oh god, oh god." She said as she ran to the edge of the roof. Her hands tightly gripped the railing as the alcohol finally caught up with her. Rook walked up behind her and rubbed her back while keeping her hair out of her face so that it wouldn't get vomit on it.

Once Ela finished throwing up, she wiped her mouth with the back of his hand, looked back up and something caught her eye. "See Julien," she said, pointing at what she saw. "I told you it's just a façade." Rook looked at what she was pointing at, and saw Zofia sneaking out of the base.

/

"Hey asshole wake up!"

Rook woke up with a splitting headache when Mira kicked the side of the bed. "Please stop shouting." He groaned as Mira voice was literally drilling into his head.

"Did you really think I won't notice you taking from stash, you dick?" Mira yelled at him, only making him groan more.

"I'll pay you back, just please stop yelling."

"Don't worry about that Julien." Mira said "I already took everything in your wallet. And all your aspirin."

"Elena wait." Rook rolled over and tried to reach for her hand, missed and fell from the bed, worsening his already very bad headache. Mira paid no attention to this as she walked out.

Eventually the room stopped spinning enough for Rook to get up. He stumbled his way out of the room and into the hallway, to the communal shower. He barely made it to the toilet before everything he ate last night made a second appearance.

Once he was finished, he drunkenly peeled of his clothes, stood under the shower and put it in the coldest setting. He placed both hands on the wall as the cold water woke him up. He dried himself and put on some clothes a long with a pair of sunglasses from his locker.

He went to the cafeteria, grabbed the biggest mug he could find and filled it to the brim with coffee. He downed it and filled another cup before heading to his table with a tray of whatever was easiest for a hungover person to grab.

"Hey Julien." They greeted him.

Rook rubbed his temple. "Please not so loud."

He sat down next Thermite, who didn't shy away from asking him a question he obviously knew the answer to. "Fun night?"

Julien looked at him, but didn't say anything.

"You're not one to drink alone though," Buck said "who'd you drink with?"

"That's none of your business."

"Oh Julien." Mira said in a sing song voice while waving his bottle of aspirin in front of him.

He tried to reach for it but Mira put it back in her pocket before Rook even got his hand all the way up. "Uh-uh Julien, tell us who you drank with first."

Julien groaned. "I drank with Ela alright, now give me the bottle."

Mira rolled her eyes and threw the bottle to Rook. He opened it and took a few pills, ignoring the shit eating grins they were giving him right now.

"I wonder what Zofia's going to say about that." Jager said, which made something click in Rook's brain.

"Oh shit, I forgot. Zofia's dirty." Rook said.

"You nailed both sisters? My man." Castle said, offering Rook a fist bump.

"What? No, Ela and I caught her coming out yesterday." Rook said.

Castle just laughed. "You're digging yourself a deeper hole here man."

"Get your mind out of the gutter Campbell, Ela's sister is dirty."

"Of all the drunken bullshit that ever came out of your mouth, this takes the cake." Mira said.

Just as Julien started to question wether he really saw what he saw, Ash ran into the cafeteria and into their table.

"You have to see this." She said "Zofia's dirty."

/

The seven of them sat in one of the TV booths in the recreation room. Ash began to explain as she plugged in her laptop. "So I was using my laptop last night when I realized I still had access to the cameras from the device that Grace gave us," she said "so I checked the feeds when we were attacked and I found this."

She pressed a button and the screen of her laptop was now projected onto the TV. She hit play and the feed from when Zofia left with the female white mask to the intelligence room. Before they entered, the white mask stopped her.

"What the fuck is going on Bosak?" she asked "You said you were ready."

"I was." Zofia answered "Or at least I thought I was, something came up alright, I'll give you the intel just give me a few more months, then you can take this place."

"I put my neck out for you and you take a massive shit on it." The white mask replied "Two more months, that's it. If you're not yet good by then, you can burn with the rest of them."

Ash stopped the video, and waited for the others to take it all in.

"So that's why they didn't kill us yet." Castle said.

"That's also why she snuck out." Rook said, which made Mira roll her eyes.

"Everyone sneaks out Julien, that doesn't prove much."

"Not if you're the director of operations. She's allowed to come and go whenever she wants to, she just has to sign a form." Rook said "She snuck out because she doesn't want wherever she's going to be recorded in the system in case it backfires."

"There's clearly more to this." Ash said "We need to do more digging."

"And you think Zofia will just let us snoop around her stuff?" Buck asked "Let's not forget she's not particularly friendly with us."

"We just need her distracted long enough for us find something to pin on her."

Thermite scoffed. "And how do you suggest we do that?"

"What are you guys doing?" They turned around to see Ela leaning on the door frame, rocking the same cup of coffee and sunglasses that Rook has. They all just stared at her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry for the delay, but school has started for me and I don't have that much free time. I have started on the next chapter though and it should be up in about two weeks.**

"Woah." Ela said in disbelief as she watched the feed from the camera. "I know we caught her sneaking out but I didn't think she was actually dirty. We have to tell Six."

"No." Ash said "If the white masks can plant double agents here, I doubt they'd plant just one. If we report this to Six and one of them sees us, who knows what the white masks would do. We can't risk it, at least not until we know who the other moles are, if there are any."

"What do we do then?" Ela asked.

"Follow her." Ash said "Gather more evidence before taking it to Six."

"That's where you come in." Rook said.

"What do you mean?"

"We need a distraction." Thermite said "We're still in hot water with her and it'd be easier to go through her room without her telling us not to."

"How do you expect me to do that?" Ela asked "It's not like we can just braid each other's hair and talk about boys."

"She's your sister. Figure it out." Thermite said "We still have to figure out how to break in her room."

"I got that covered." Mira said "Campbell, come with me. Everyone else, just watch the cameras, tell us when it's safe to leave the room."

/

"What do you want?"

Castle and Mira stood outside Zofia's room, who barely opened the door once she saw them through the peephole.

"Hey Zofia, how are you?" Mira said in a voice that even she wasn't fooled by. Mira leaned into the doorframe. "Ela's looking for you." She said, stuffing the hole in the doorframe to jam the mechanism of the door knob.

"Really?" Zofia asked.

"Yes. She said she needed to talk to you. She's waiting for you in her room."

Zofia nodded and left her room, not paying much attention to the door as she left. Once she was far enough, Mira pushed the door open, unstuffed the hole in the doorframe and locked it once she and Castle entered.

"Eliza? We're in." Castle said over the comms "What are we looking for?"

"Evidence." Ash answered "Anything we can use to prove to Six she's dirty."

The two of them searched around her room, doing what Ash told them. "This room is actually pretty nice. Twice the size of the normal ones and you have your own bathroom, plus you have the choice of having it for yourself." Castle said "It's a shame it's wasted on a tool like Bosak."

The two of them searched for a few more minutes before giving up. "Eliza, there's nothing here. Can't we just use the feed as evidence?"

"It's too dangerous." Buck said "Everything sent to Six gets passed to officials first for security reasons. We can't risk anyone else seeing it."

"Are you sure there's nothing there?" Ash asked.

"It's not yet too late." Castle said "We can still plant the evidence."

"How'd you pass the board exam again Campbell?" Mira asked "There is one more place we haven't checked yet."

Mira lifted the mattress enough so she could stick her hand in, sheepishly groping around, trying not to touch anything she wouldn't want to.

"Please don't be what I think it is." Mira said as she grabbed something and pulled it out. "Eliza, we found a burner phone. Is that enough?"

"Yes, now get back here before you get caught."

Castle and Mira went for the door, noticing that the knob was already turning before either of them even got close to it. Castle's heart raced as he turned to Mira.

Zofia was back early.

He grabbed Mira's arm and pushed her into the bathroom, entering after her. The two of them hid behind the shower curtain. Zofia was walking around, her footsteps pounding into their ears as she got closer to the bathroom. The lights came on and the two of them held their breath.

They waited and after a few minutes, Zofia left and turned the lights off. They heard her close the door behind her. They remained silent, their pounding heartbeats now the only sound in the room.

"She's gone." Ash said, making them jump, the recent events making them forget the others were still on the comms. Mira memorized the latest text on the burner, and put it back under the bed so Zofia wouldn't get suspicious. She and Castle snuck back out.

/

"Are you sure that's what it said?" Buck asked.

They all sat in a TV booth in the rec room, asking Mira if she was sure about the message for the thousandth time.

"For the last time Sebastien, yes." She said, infuriated. "I know what I read. She's meeting up with them tonight. If we don't go now, we might never get the chance again."

"It's still a risk." Buck argued "If you're wrong and we get caught, they'll know we're onto them. Not to mention we get slapped with another offense."

"It's a risk we have to take." Ash replied "We can hide in the garage. Wait for her, if we don't see her then we stay here. If we do, then we follow, see what she's up to."

"No need to hide." Mira said "The guard there still owes for the alcohol. He'll let us stay there."

"You think he can get us a car?"

"Yes."

"No."

"What?" Mira asked the security guard when he refused "Why not?"

"Letting you stay here after lights out is one thing. Giving you a civilian car in the middle of the night is another." He said "Not to mention the fact that you're still suspended."

Mira leaned forward on the desk. "Listen,that was a whole bottle of wine you asked for, Gary."

"Gerry."

"I don't care." Mira said "Do you know what would happen if you get caught with that?"

"Are you blackmailing me?" Gerry asked "You gave me that alcohol."

"Yes I did. I know that, and you know that," Mira leaned in even closer so that she was now whispering "but Six doesn't know that. So it's your word against mine, and last time I checked, you're just a security guard."

Gerry just stared at Mira, who just stared back. He reached under the table and handed her a set of keys with a snarl. "At the end of the impound lot." He said.

Mira took the keys from his hand. "Gracias."

She walked back to the others, twirling the keys around her finger as Gerry muttered his breath. They walked over to the impound lot, looking for the car that matched the number written on the keys. After walking through the whole lot, they eventually found their vehicle, if they can even call it that. It sat there, covered with rust, dripping all kinds of fluids on the ground all while being held together by duct tape.

"Of course he gave us the shittiest one." Mira complained. "It'll be a miracle if this thing doesn't turn to dust when I put the keys in the ignition."

"Can you blame him though." Jager asked.

"I can't, but I will."

Mira got in and pulled the latch for the hood. In front of her, Jager opened it and took a look at the engine. "So Mr. Mechanic, how does it look?"

Jager looked at it for a few more seconds before closing the hood. "Monika can run better than this car."

"Doesn't she have two bullet holes in her leg?" Buck asked.

"Exactly."

"Technically she can still run," Mira said, inserting the key on the ignition "Hopefully we can say the same for this heap." She turned the key, and after a few painful rumbling sounds from the engine, the car came to life. Or, the closest it can get to it.

"That doesn't sound like it'll stay on for long."

"It doesn't have to." Ash said "Zofia's on her way out."

They looked at the security booth, and sure enough, she was checking out an official Team Rainbow jeep. "We have to hurry." Mira said "This lemon can only fit three people. Who's coming with me?"

Ela walked up to the passenger side and opened the door. "She's my sister. I'm coming with you."

"There's two down. Who's the last one?"

"I'll go." Castle said, stepping forward "I'm not in as deep shit as the others. If we get caught it won't be that bad."

"If that's all, we need to get going." Mira said, but Rook stopped them.

"Wait. I got this from the workshop. Put it in the dash so we can keep track of what's happening." Rook said, handing her one of Valkyrie's Black Eyes.

/

They followed Zofia out of the base, going slow enough not to be noticed, but fast enough not to lose her. From the path she was taking, it didn't look like she was going anywhere suspicious.

"Are you sure she's meeting with them tonight Elena?" Castle asked.

"You saw the same text I did Campbell."

"It could have been wrong though." Ela said, pointing to the sign of the restaurant that Zofia stopped in front of. "Whenever my father had an op to go to, he'd always take us to a restaurant like this before he left. Ever since…since what happened happened, Zofia kept asking me to eat here, but I couldn't."

"Elena, I want to take her down as much as you do but there's a chance that she just came here for closure. I mean, she didn't even sneak out, she signed the form didn't she?" Castle said "I'm sorry but we have to go back."

Mira put the car in gear, but just as they were about to head back, three people entered the jeep before driving off. "Or she signed the form so she has an alibi." Mira said, following the jeep again. They drove a few more blocks before Zofia entered a multi-level parking complex. Mira followed her in, staying a level behind since they were the only two cars in the whole lot.

Zofia drove to the edge of the floor and stopped the jeep. Mira did the same, parking at the opposite side. The three of them stepped out of the car, Castle boosting Ela so she could plug the transmitter into one of the parking lot's cameras. They flicked through them, looking for the camera closest to Zofia and the white masks.

"Progress report Bosak." One of the white masks told her. "You have a month left, then we're taking over, with or without you."

"Like I told your commanding officer, I'm working on it." Zofia answered. "I'll be ready when I have to be. Now are we done here? I have to get back before Six gets suspicious."

The white mask nodded at her before walking over to a car that Mira hadn't even noticed was there. "You guys got that?" she asked the others who nodded. "Good. Let's get out of here."

"Elena, wait!" Castle yelled but it was too late. The keys were already in the ignition and Mira already turned it. If the sound of an ancient engine trying to come to life didn't give their position away, the sudden flash headlights definitely did.

"What the fuck?!"

Castle pulled out a pistol he stole from the armory and emptied it as Mira reversed down the ramp to the floor below them.

Zofia got up from the ground and checked herself for bullet wounds. She was fine, but she couldn't say the same for the two white masks lying on the ground in a pool of blood. The third one was running towards his car. She looked behind her, the jeep was smoking from the bullet holes it had on its hood. Before she could react, a car was barreling towards her, the remaining white mask behind the wheel, but instead of ramming her, it swerved to her side so that she was facing the driver.

"You bitch, you said you came alone!"

"I did." Zofia growled at him. "They're not with me."

The white mask opened the passenger side door. "Then you won't mind it if we kill them then?"

Zofia walked over to her jeep and got her launcher that she was now glad she had brought along. She entered the car and set it to impacts. "Not at all."

The midnight streets of Munich were suddenly filled with the clunking sound of Mira driving as fast as their shit car would let them as she tried to get back to base. "Do you think they're still behind us?" she asked, but before Castle or Ela could answer, something exploded behind them. She looked at the cracked rear view mirror. A car was behind them, Zofia leaning out the window, holding her launcher that just fired an impact grenade which barely missed them.

"Hold it steady dammit!" Zofia yelled at the driver as she prepared the next impact, ready to fire as soon as they turned the corner. As her finger loomed over the trigger, her car's headlights hit the passenger side and she saw a sliver of green hair. She lowered her launcher, ignoring the demands of the driver for her to fire already as she switched to concussion grenades.

"Goddammit Ela." She muttered under her breath, before firing in front of their car, stunning both her and the white mask. Disoriented, he lost control of the wheel and wrapped the car around a telephone pole, throwing Zofia out the window, and into the street.

She slowly got up and snapped her dislocated shoulder back to place. She walked over to the wreckage and saw the white mask pinned under the dash.

"W-what the fuck Bosak?" he groaned out.

Zofia didn't acknowledge him, instead she grabbed a broken piece of sharp plastic from the dashboard and jammed it in his neck. As he bled out, Zofia walked over to a nearby trashcan and grabbed a few beer bottles. She threw it in the car and called an ambulance before ditching her burner phone. She slung her launcher overher shoulder and began to limp back to base.

/

The clanking engine sound began to die down as Mira finally eased her foot off the gas. None of them were really sure what happened but they heard a crash and no one was behind them anymore, although that didn't stop Mira from pushing the car to go faster than it's capable of trying to get away from a threat that was no longer there. Now Castle, Ela and her are stranded on the side of the street with a dead car.

Screw it. They were walking back, it's not like anyone would be looking for that car anytime soon.

"Did you get it?" Buck asked as the three of them entered the recreation room.

Mira waved a flash drive. "Everything's in here and on the black eye."

"Were you spotted?"

Mira's grin disappeared. When the three of them didn't say anything, Buck's question was answered. "Oh my god." He said, running a hand through his hair.

"Don't worry," Castle said "Zofia was the only one left, and I doubt she knew it was us in that dark parking lot."

"Besides even if she knew, she can't do anything to us without blowing her cover." Ela added.

"It doesn't matter anymore. You got back here safely." Jager said "And you have evidence."

"Exactly." Mira said "Now let's get this to Six before Zofia gets back."

"Not yet." Rook said.

"What? Why not?"

"Think about it Elena." Rook said "The night someone spots her talking with some white masks is the same night she gets caught? That's way too suspicious and it could set the white masks off, and we can't afford that since we don't know about the other moles yet."

"Then what do we do now?" Ela asked.

"We wait."


	12. Chapter 12

Seven days went by, and their suspension was lifted, just as IQ was cleared for active duty. The nine of them sat in their table, debating over when they would actually be given another operation after their recent screw up, only to have the argument settled by Twitch when she walked up to their table.

"Zofia's looking for you." She said, the slight panic in Rook's eyes not going unnoticed to her. "Don't worry, she can't do anything to you here."

"Thanks." Rook said, getting up to follow her. "That means way more than you think it does."

The two of them arrived at her office just as Doc emerged from the door. He gave Rook and Twitch a nod as he went back to the medbay. Twitch gave Rook a pat on the back for good luck as he entered Zofia's office. She was behind her desk, just finished taking a few pills that Julien could only assume were painkillers, after all, she was in a car crash just a week ago.

"What do you want?" he asked her.

"Oh I'm sorry, did I interrupt your moping around while you wait for another operation?" Zofia asked. "Sit down."

Rook pulled the chair and sat on it, studying her face as he waited for her to speak. If she did know he and the others were involved that night, she hid it well. She reached in her desk drawer to grab a file, wincing slightly as she used her bad arm, but it was enough for Julien to notice.

"What happened to your arm?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you cared." Zofia answered.

"Well I do if it affects my CO's ability to hold a rifle properly."

"If you must know, I fell down the stairs a few days ago." Zofia said.

Rook raised an eyebrow. "Your room and office are both in the first floor."

"What, can't I go upstairs?" Zofia asked, her patience running thin. "Are you going to waste my time or will you actually listen."

Julien leaned back on his chair with a smirk. "You tell me."

Zofia gritted her teeth as she tried not to yell at him. "There's an operation in France and since this is the first one we have there, Six wants former GIGN operators to come along as guides. We already have Pichon, but something came up and Doc has to stay here. Now, with you being the only other french operator here-"

"You're sending me on an op." Rook said, cutting her off as a goofy grin spread across his face.

Zofia sighed. She was working with children. "Alright fine. I am, now do you accept or not?"

"I do." He said "But I get to choose who comes with me."

"You are not in any position to make negotiations Nizan."

"And you're in a position where you don't have a choice."

Zofia glared daggers at Rook. It took all her willpower, and her injuries, from lunging at the man in front of her, whose grin turned into a smirk that just pissed her off even more. "Fine. Be ready by noon." She all, but yelled at him. "Now get out of my office."

"Give me a second." Rook said. "I want to take in the feeling of victory."

Jesus Christ she's going to kill him. "You'll be taking my foot up your ass if you don't get the fuck out of here right now!"

Julien knew she wanted to sound threatening but he could barely contain his laughter as he left her office. Just wait until the others hear about this.

/

"Guess what I just did." Rook said as he strutted to their table.

"I'd rather not." Castle said indifferently. He may be talking to Julien but he wasn't paying attention. None of them were.

That was about to change.

"Zofia talked to me about an operation in France." Rook said " Pack your shit, we're going to Tours."

The news actually managed to get their attention. Ela pulled at his arm so he was facing her. She couldn't help but smile. "You actually managed to get her to give us an op?"

Julien mirrored her smile. "She had to, otherwise Six won't approve it."

By now, everyone at the table was excited when Jager decided to speak up during the celebrations.

"I'm not going."

"What? Why not?" Rook asked.

"My suspension as an operator is over but my suspension as a pilot isn't." Jager replied.

"You're more than just a pilot Marius."

"Maybe. But I don't want to get in the way of you guys."

"I'm applso staying." IQ said, although no one was really that surprised. "I just got two bullets removed from inside me. I'm not in a hurry to get any more."

"I'm out too." Buck said "I need a break."

Mira raised her eyebrow at him. "You just had three weeks worth of a break." She said, but Buck just shrugged at her.

"If that's it, we have to get going. Zofia told me to have you in the hangar by noon and she's pissed enough at me as it is."

/

Rook led Ash, Thermite, Castle, Mira and Ela to the hangar where Twitch, Sledge and Zofia were waiting by a plane.

"I told you noon, Nizan." Zofia said as they walked in.

Rook glanced at his watch. "It's just three minutes, calm down."

Ela could see Zofia physically restrain herself to stop herself from decking Julien. She could also see a familiar look on her face. The look of someone harboring anger at a person who they can't do anything against.

The look Ela usually gives her.

At first she just wrote it off as her rage against Julien, but it was still plastered on her face even though he was already in the plane. Then she realized it wasn't aimed at Julien. It was aimed at her. This confused her because no matter how much of a little shit she could be, there was nothing Ela could do to her sister that she won't get over in a day. Unless…

"Guys," Ela said to the others when they were in the air. "She knows about the other night."

"What?" Mira asked in a whisper, even though Zofia was in the other side of the plane. "You can't be sure of that."

"Yes I can. I've never seen her that pissed at me before."

"That's why she let me bring you guys." Rook said "It's easier for her to order the white masks to take you out if you're not in the base."

They all looked to where Zofia was sitting. She was staring out the window as if deep in thought. If Ela was right, then going on this operation was a big mistake.

/

They landed on a private airstrip used by the GIGN. Rook stepped out and breathed in the fresh air of Tours, France. If it wasn't for the immediate threat that was Zofia, he would have actually enjoyed being back in his home town.

Two soldiers approached them, one was a man and the other a woman, and led them to a van where they'd drive them off to the GIGN base of operations, which was now one of Team Rainbow's recent outposts. On the ride there, Rook looked out the window remembering all his childhood memories when he felt a tap on the shoulder.

It was Mira, and she looked skeptical. "That woman's a white mask." She said pointing to the operator next to Zofia, who was quietly arguing with her. Rook told Mira she was being paranoid, although he didn't dismiss the thought. At least not completely.

They arrived at the base, both Rook and Twitch excited to relive their lives before team rainbow. The two of them strolled down the halls of the base, laughing at the various memories that they could remember.

The others, however , had to be shown around briefly before they would all meet up in the briefing room so Zofia as well as the precinct's commanding officer could de-brief them about the operation. The CO pressed a button on his remote and two people popped up.

The first was a middle aged man, smirking as his mugshot was being taken, as if he was confident that the GIGN won't keep him there for long, which was a pretty stupid assumption. But then again, they wouldn't be here if they did. The other was a younger woman whose picture made Twitch clench her fist under the table, but before Ela could ask about it Zofia was already introducing the first of the two people on the screen.

"Salvador Reyes." Zofia said, zooming in on the picture of the man. "Chemical specialist turned white mask. He played a major role in the attack on Bartlett as well as countless other white mask chemical attacks. He was sentence to death couple of weeks ago but his transport was ambushed on the way. None of the operators survived."

She stayed silent for a bit before proceeding to the next picture. "Adelaine Bernard. Recently recruited and was the one behind the ambush that broke Reyes out. Armed robbery, kidnapping, breaking and entering. The only thing not on her rap sheet was murder and she changed that a few days ago."

Next to Ela, Twitch's fingernails were nearly digging into her palms as she looked like she was trying her best not to scream. From across the table, Rook noticed and gave her a slight shake of the head. She ignored him and left the room with Julien following suit.

The CO saw this but continued speaking, as if this was a common occurance for them, but he did know Twitch longer than Ela did so maybe it was. "After the ambush the two of them had been laying low for a while but one of our sources spotted them recently. The white masks haven't been active lately which can only mean they have something big planned. Catch them and bring them back alive."

Ela was gearing up in thee female locker room with Ash and Mira when Twitch entered. She was still pissed but not nearly as much as when she stormed out of the briefing room. They were all silent as they waited for her to finish readying before they all went to the garage where two police cars and the others were waiting for them.

In an effort to avoid her sister, Ela sat in the other car with Castle, Mira, Ash, Twitch and the CO. Unsuprisingly, Ela wasn't the only one who noticed Twitch was acting weird as seen when Castle sat next to her looking worried.

"You okay?" Castle asked.

Twitch closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm fine." She said and although Castle knew she was lying, he didn't push any further.

The CO drove them to a crappy apartment complex and parked the car in an alley a few blocks away from the complex. The other car soon rolled up and parked behind them. The others got out and walked over to their car where the CO had the blueprints of the building sprawled across the hood.

"They're on the second floor, room 308." He said "One of you drone ahead, see if they're there."

Thermite walked forward, grabbed a drone from his backpack and set it on the ground before pulling out his phone. The others stood around him, running last minute checks on their gear while waiting for him to finish.

"There's three in the room, Reyes and Bernard and I think the other one's an arms dealer."

With that, they stepped out of the alley toward the complex. The CO flashed the receptionist his badge and signaled her to be quiet. He did the same to other residents that exited the room as they went through the second floor so they won't be alarmed by the nine armed people barreling down the hallway.

They reached the room and spread out so both sides of the doorway was covered. Sledge stood by with his hammer at the ready, waiting for Ash's signal.

Three.

Two.

One.

He broke the door open and Ash lobbed a flashbang into the room before they all entered, gunning down the arms dealer as he blindly fired at them. Behind him, Adelaine took off for the ladder near the window while Salvador reached for the automatic rifle on the bed. Rook tackled him before he could get a shot off. As he pinned him to the ground to cuff him, he saw Twitch go after Adelaine.

"Campbell, go after her before she kills Bernard!" he yelled.

Castle ran towards the window. Both of them were already on the street. Castle began to climb down the ladder when Adelaine entered a nearby restaurant, with Twitch hot on her heels. She ignored the angry yells of the people in the restaurant as she pushed them aside. Twitch saw her go for the backdoor so she turned for the kitchen hoping to cut her off in the back alley. She knocked a few dishes and pans as she rushed for the back exit. She kicked it open just as Adelaine passed in front of it, the impact sending her to the ground. She pinned her down and pulled out her knife, ready to bring it down on her.

Just as she was about to swing it, a hand grabbed her wrist stopping it. She tried to pull her hand free but the grip only tightened. She looked behind her to see it was Castle stopping her from finishing the job.

"We need her alive, Emmanuelle."

Twitch wanted to argue but Adelaine got one of her hands free and grabbed an empty bottle from the street and smashed it on Twitch's head. She fell backwards in to Castle which brought them both to the ground. Adelaine got up to run and Twitch grabbed Castle pistol from his holster. She raised it to fire but before she could land a shot Castle grabbed the pistol and pointed it down so it shot at the ground before Castle wrestled the gun from Twitch.

"What part of alive don't you understand Pichon?" Castle yelled at her.

Twitch didn't answer him as she got up and left him on the ground and walked back to the others. They were putting Reyes in the back of one of the cars.

"Where's Bernard?" Zofia asked them but Twitch wouldn't meet her gaze.

"She got away."

Zofia sighed. "It doesn't matter. We have Reyes."

/

They all waited outside the interrogation room as Zofia and the CO had been trying to get information from Salvador for the last twenty minutes. Next to Rook, Ela kept her head low.

"If Pereira was still here she'd be done by now." She said.

Rook put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her so that she was facing him. "Ela, for the last time, that was not your fault."

Ela pushed Rook's hand off her shoulder and instead, wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Rook hugged back and ran a hand through her hair just as Zofia emerged from the interrogation room. They quickly pushed each other off but she'd already seen them. Thankfully she didn't say anything.

"Reyes said the white masks plan to attack the CEO of one of the companies that decided to testify against them at a gala tomorrow." She said "We need to intercept them and get the CEO to safety before they could attack him."

"What about Bernard." Thermite asked.

"I'll get her." Twitch responded before Zofia could. "I know more about her than anyone else here."

Castle scoffed. "And who'll stop you from killing her?"

"You will. Go with her, make sure she comes back here alive." Zofia said, putting emphasis on alive as she stared at Twitch.

Twitch rolled her eyes and walked toward the female locker room to gear up. Castle followed, heading to the male locker room to do the same.

Now it was just Zofia, Ela, Rook, Ash, Thermite, Mira and Sledge that were left.

"What about the rest of us?" Sledge asked.

Zofia was about to answer but Ash beat her to it, with a grin on her face.

"We're going to a gala right?" she said "Let's go shopping."


	13. Chapter 13

"What is your problem Pichon?" Castle asked Twitch while they drove to where Adelaine was last spotted, and with the way Twitch was acting recently, his quiestion wasn't unwarranted.

"I just want to catch her."

"Bullshit." Castle said "We already caught her. If you hadn't gone out of your way to try to kill her we wouldn't be out here looking for her."

"We wouldn't be worried about her at all if you didn't stop me."

"You see, that's what I'm talking about." Castle said "Whatever grudge you have against her you need to drop it because it's clouding your judgement."

"No it's not." Twitch replied as she stopped the car "Now let's go, we're here."

The two of them stepped out of the car and stared at the entrance of a bus station, where one of the GIGN operatives had spotted Adelaine on a camera. They walked over to the ticket booth and Twitch showed the employee her badge and a picture of Adelaine.

"Did she recently buy a ticket here?"

The man squinted as he took a closer look at the picture. Adelaine had her hood up with a cap and some sunglasses. Typical. "I'm not sure." He said "People dressed like that buy tickets here more often than you'd think."

"Are you sure you hadn't seen her?" Twitch asked.

"I see thousands of faces everyday, do you think I can remember them all?" he replied "Only a few busses had left. If you want you can check the terminals."

"Merci." Twitch nodded at him and proceeded to the terminal with the most busses to look for Adelaine. She told Castle to stay by the busses to check any passenger that got past her before she began to check the crowds.

Only five minutes until departure.

She began with the seats nearest the exit so no can run out without her seeing. When it was clear she moved on to the next row, again with no such luck. She continued to search row after row until there were two left, and time to just search one.

Twitch began to panic as she slowly turned to make sure she didn't miss anyone. She looked at one of the busses boarding last minute passengers when she spotted on hastily trying to get on. She bolted through the terminal, pushing others out of the way as she pulled her gun out.

"Freeze!" she yelled "Get down on your knees!"

Twitch walked over to her with a pair of handcuffs ready when the woman turned around, her whole body tense with fear as she asked what she did. Twitch's body almost did the same when she saw it wasn't Adelaine. She stood there, frozen with her gun still up when Castle pushed it down.

"Ma'am we are so sorry." He apologized as he ushered Twitch away from her and out the bus station.

"What the fuck was that Pichon?" Castle yelled when the two of them were inside the car.

"I thought it was her."

"I told you." Castle said "I told you whatever it was between you two would cloud your judgement."

Twitch was about to deny it again when Castle swiped the keys from the ignition. "Give them back Miles." She ordered.

"Not until you tell me why you want her dead so much."

"There is nothing between us." Twitch said, reaching for the keys which Castle just moved farther away from her.

"You can deny all you want," he said "but the longer you do, the farther she gets from us."

Twitch clenched her jaw like she was going to yell at Catsle but instead she just looked down. She actually looked guilty. "She's my high school bully."

Castle's jaw nearly fell from his face. "That's it?!"

Twitch didn't meet his gaze. "I know it's shallow, but that bitch ruined my life."

"That's what everyone says about their bully." Castle said, still taken aback "What could she have possibly done that' worth killing h-"

"She dragged me out of the showers and into the gym." Twitch said shakily, even the memory what happened threatening to reduce her to tears. "There was an assembly and everyone in my school was there. Everyone was laughing, and taking pictures of the wet, crying, naked girl. Then, someone from the crowd stood up, walked over to me and gave me his jacket. I covered myself and ran back, still hearing the sound of their laughter from the showers."

Twitch wiped a tear from her eye. "And even that wasn't enough for her. She spread the rumor that I did that on purpose. I became the school whore Miles." Twitch was crying by now. "My own parents disowned me. I'm lucky they didn't kick me out of the house. If anything good came out of that day, it's because that was the day I met Julien, who is the closest I can ever get to family. I've wanted to kill her ever since, and know that I have the chance, I'm taking it." She buried her face in her hands. "There, I told you. Are you happy now?"

"You're wrong Emmanuelle." Castle said "We're your family know. I'm your family know, and I never turn my back on family. Let's catch that bitch."

He gave her a pat on the back and put the keys back in the ignition. When she finally looked back at him, there was a hint of a smile on her face.

"God, that's so cheesy."

/

"Goddammit!"

Zofia jumped slightly, not expecting someone to scream as she walked past the locker rooms. She pushed the door open and saw Julien with a tie around his neck, wrinkled from all his failed attempts to tie it.

"Nizan what are you still doing here, we're leaving soon."

Rook gestured to hit untied necktie. "What do you think?"

"I swear to god Nizan." Zofia said as she walked over to him and tied it for him, not even trying to be gentle. Rook wasn't sure where to look as she did it, thankfully she was finished but before he could thank her, she pulled him by the necktie so that his face was close to hers.

"Listen closely." Zofia spat, glaring at him as hard as she could. "Don't think I don't know you drink with my sister at night. Don't think I didn't notice you two yesterday and don't think I don't know about the rumors between you two. All this gala bullshit, it's just for show. Don't get any ideas."

Rook gulped. For the first time, Zofia actually scared him. She let go of his tie and he scurried of to the garage, where Ela lying down on the hood of one of the cars. She actually looked good in her green dress, but that thought was immediately pushed out by Zofia's words.

"What took you so long?" Ela asked.

"Well I had to deal with this bitch." Rook replied "Also I couldn't tie my tie."

"She give you the speech too?"

Rook raised an eyebrow. "How'd you know?"

Ela chuckled. "She gave me the same speech while I was picking out the dress."

"Are we going to listen to her?"

Ela smiled mischievously. "Nope."

Rook shook his head with a smile. "I can only imagine what it was like for the boys you brought home."

"That makes two of us."

Rook turned around to face her. "You've never brought anyone home?"

Ela shook her head. "Ever since my mother died, Zofia became so overprotective of me. She'd made it very clear to everyone in our school not to even think of fucking with me. At first I was glad because it kept the bullies away, but then I realized it also kept the boys away."

"So thirty-two years and you never…" Rook trailed off, not realizing how insensitive his question sounded until he actually said it.

"Yes Julien. I never have." Ela said flatly "You're one to talk you hypocrite, I've never seen you with anyone." She was slightly offended by the question, but not enough for her not to turn Julien's question back to him.

Julien was relieved that she wasn't nearly as mad as she's supposed to be so he decided to play along. "That's because I'm single by choice."

Ela scoffed. "Bullshit."

"I'm serious." Rook said "Six made it clear we can't have relationships with anyone outside of Team Rainbow unless you two got married prior to you enlisting. She also made it clear we can't have relationships with anyone inside of Team Rainbow so we are all basically forced to be single. And since I am not one to be forced, I chose to be single."

"Yeah, sure." Ela said "As if you wouldn't jump on anyone the minute Six drops the no-fraternization rule."

Rook shook his head and Ela sat up, now interested in where this conversation was going. "Really? No one in Team Rainbow has caught your eye yet?"

Again, Rook just shook his head.

Ela sat up, now interested in where the conversation was going. She scrunched up her face as she tried to remember all the female operators. "So Monika and Eliza are both off the table. So is Castellano, what about Grace?"

Rook shook his head. "Too smug."

"Tina?"

"I look at her, and the only thing that pops up in my mind is my dick getting caught in one of her traps."

"Yumiko?"

"Uh-uh. Super gay."

"What about Pichon? You two are close right?"

"We both promised long ago that that would never happen. We don't want to risk our friendship."

Ela scratched her chin. "Elena. I definitely see something there."

Rook scoffed. "I don't. She's like, fifty."

"I'm thirty-nine you asshole."

Rook and Ela both jumped, startled when they saw Mira behind them. Rook caught a glance of her and it nearly made him rethink his previous statement. But then again, they all looked gorgeous in their suits and dresses, as proven by the others when they walked in the garage, so he didn't put much thought in it.

"Are you all done bickering?" Zofia asked, only she and Sledge weren't dressed for the gala. "We have to go."

They all piled into the two cars they were provided and drove off to the venue written on the invitation they swiped from Salvador. They showed it to the security guard, who let them pass through the gate. They parked it in a secluded spot and got out, Zofia and Sledge staying back for surveillance. Ash, Thermite, Rook, Ela and Mira then marched inside the double doors to the gala.

The five of them sat in the table for half an hour, waiting for the other guests to arrive, then another half our waiting for it to get started and even when it did, the CEO hasn't arrived yet, so more waiting.

After the first hour, Thermite began to get restless and reached for the inside pocket of his jacket. He began to fish around until he pulled out a hip flask.

"Jordan, what are you doing?" Ash asked condescendingly.

"Actually having fun. The wine here tastes like shit." He opened it and to a long sip, only stopping when he began to cough. He closed it and stowed it back in his pocket. "Oh, that takes me back. I remember back at my highschool prom when someone spiked the punch. I was so drunk when my date asked me to dance that I nearly threw up on her."

"I can only imagine what it was like for that poor girl." Ash said.

"Why imagine? I'm drunk and there's a dance floor over there." Thermite got up and bowed in front of Ash while offering her his hand. Ash rolled her eyes, but took his hand anyway. Before they reached the dance floor, Thermite turned around to face Ash. "By the way the room is starting to spin so you're driving the lead car."

With that, the only people left in the table were Rook, Ela and Mira. Never one to miss an oppurtunity to tease Mira, Rook also got up and offered Ela his hand and they went off for the dance floor.

"Sure, rub it in my face why don't you?" Mira yelled after them. " _Gilipollas."_

Rook and Ela reached the dance floor just as a slow dance came on. Ela looked around and saw one of the cameras pointed at them glowing red. "She's watching us Julien."

Rook glanced back to where Ela was looking. "You're right. Let's piss her off."

"Way ahead of you." Ela said, pulling Rook closer and placing his hands on her hips. She looked at the camera and stuck her tongue at it. Sure it was childish, but she didn't care.

Thankfully, both of them thought ahead and took their comms out. They began to vibrate in Rook's pocket and he couldn't help but smile. "It's working Ela. What else can we do?"

Ela, too caught up in the excitement of pissing her sister off didn't bother to stop and think before throwing her arms around Julien's neck and pressing her lips against his. They pulled apart and, although shocked at first, soon mirrored Ela's giddy smile. This time he kissed her, trying to make it look as passionate as he could. They did this over and over again, until eventually they both forgot they were pretending.

Just as thee slow dance ended, the CEO arrived and after their eyes scanned the room, so did the white masks. Ash and Thermite went to them and told them to get ready while they talked to the CEO. Ela head straight out, still slightly giddy while Rook went to get the others. She reached the car only to be greeted by an expectedly pissed Zofia.

"What the hell was that Ela?"

"Calm down, we were just blending in." Ela said trying to walk past her but Zofia blocked her.

"That's bullshit and you know it. I told you to stay away from him."

"Why do you hate Julien so much?" Ela asked, her voice rising.

"I…I can't tell you." Zofia said "You just have to trust me on this."

"Trust you?" Ela asked in disbelief "You expect me to trust you when all you've done is-" Ela cut herself off. She nearly let it slip that she knows about Zofia, and Zofia noticed.

"Listen Ela, there is a lot going on. Please just trust me about Nizan."

"You expect me to take relationship advice from you?" Ela asked "Let's not forget the only reason you're married is because you whored yourself out a little too much back at GROM and he only proposed because he wanted your daughter to have a father."

The silent parking lot echoed with the sound of Zofia's hand slapping against Ela's face. Ela was actually shocked and although her face hurt like hell, she kept her composure. She walked over to the car and grabbed her gear.

" _Kurwa."_ She muttered to her sister before walking towards the follow car.

When she entered the follow car, Julien was already behind the wheel and he noticed something was bothering Ela, along with the red handprint on her cheek.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry Ela this is all my fault."

"No." Ela said, putting her hands on Rook's face. "Don't be."

She pulled him in for another kiss. A longer more genuine one which only stopped when Mira knocked on the passenger side window with a shit-eating grin on her face.

She was never letting them hear the end of this.


	14. Chapter 14

Castle and Twitch drove around for a while waiting for the next response on Adelaine's APB. "We're getting nowhere fast." Castle declared. "Pull over will you? I have to take a piss."

"What? You can't take a piss during a manhunt."

"Emmanuelle, we haven't seen anything in an hour. I doubt that'd change in the two minutes it takes for me to piss." Castle said "Now unless you want to see me do it in a bottle, pull over."

"Ugh, fine." Twitch said, giving up and stopping at the nearest gas station.

Castle got out to get the key from the register and Twitch tried to think of anywhere else Adelaine could be. She lost her focus when just thinking of that bitch made her blood boil. All she and her friends ever did was terrorize her, so it was only fair that Twitch had gotten delighted when they were caught smoking pot in one of the storage units her father owned all those years ago. It wasn't the close to the karma they deserved, but it was a start. Just as she was thinking about that memory, something in her head clicked and she laid on the horn, trying to get Castle to hurry up.

He walked out with an annoyed look at Twitch. "What the hell? You nearly made me close the zipper on my-"

"I know where she is."

Castle looked puzzled. "You sure?"

"Trust me." Twitch said, putting the car in reverse and backing out of the gas station. "There's only one place she retreats after pulling some shit like this."

They rolled up outside the storage facility and sure enough, Adelaine was there, looking over her shoulder nervously every now and then as she walked up to her storage unit. She unlocked it from the bottom and opened it, entered and closed the door, obscuring Twitch's view. She cocked her pistol and unlocked her door when Castle stopped her.

"Remember Emmanuelle, we need her alive."

Twitch sighed and faced Castle. "I already told you Miles, now that I have the chance to kill her, I'm taking it, so either help me or fuck off."

Castle thought about it for a second before also pulling out his weapon. "Fine, but you have to promise me you will never let grudges cloud your judgement ever again."

Twitch nodded.

"Pinky promise?"

"Miles you're thirty-six."

"I don't care. Pinky promise me or we are not getting out of this car."

Twitch rolled her eyes. She wrapped her pinky around Castle's and he handcuffed her to the steering wheel. She tugged against the chain, the sound of the cuff hitting against her wrist almost mad Castle guilty. Almost.

"What the fuck Miles?!"

"I'm sorry. But you're too close to this. I'll be back."

He closed the door behind her, trying his best not to look back as he walked overr to the Adelaine's storage unit. He knocked on the metal door but she didn't answer.

"Open up this is LA-" Castle cut himself off, realizing the Los Angeles police department doesn't cover France, and technically, Team Rainbow doesn't exist. "This is GIGN, open up."

"I don't believe you." Adelaine called out from inside. "What does GIGN stand for?"

Shit. Now he was starting to regret leaving Twitch in the car. Thankfully before Castle would have guessed an answer that was sure to be wrong, he heard the garage door unlock. He crouched down to lift the door up and when he did, Adelaine came at him with an axe. Castle let go of the door, letting it fall behind her as he backed away, the axe barely missing him.

Adelaine tried to go for another swing when Castle struck her in the face. He charged her and pinned her against the wall. Adelaine brought her knee between his legs and Castle fell to the ground. "You bitch!" Castle yelled at her as she ran away. Adelaine ran through the storage facility going for the exit as Castle tried to stand up.

She cut through the parking lot, running by the side of a car when the door swung open violently, knocking her to the ground. She clutched her bleeding nose as she tried to get back on her feet when she got a right hook from Castle sending her back to the ground. He cuffed her and threw her in the backseat.

/

"Get over it already."

Mira sat in the backseat still flashing the grin that hasn't left her yet. "Just when I thought you couldn't get Zofia to hate you even more."

"Shut up Elena." Ela said "You're just jealous he's with someone who isn't dependent on batteries."

"That's low Ela. But I don't care, Julien finally grew a pair and made the rumors true."

"It's just too bad Zofia will rip that pair off when we get back." Rook said.

They all got a chuckle from that just as Ash and Thermite walked out of the ball room with the CEO by their side looking both sacred and pissed at the same time. "This is bullshit. I'll have my security team get you killed."

"Don't lie to yourself." Ash said "If you had a security team we wouldn't have been able to grab you."

Zofia walked up to them and gave him a phone with presumably Six on the other end. The CEO took it, listened for a while before finally agreeing to go with them voluntarily. As Zofia walked past their car and she glared at Rook.

Ela put her hand on Rook's shoulder. "Hey, don't mind her."

Rook nodded and started the car so they can follow the convoy. The three cars peeled out of the parking lot, on the way to the GIGN base, where the CEO can be put in proper witness protection. Rook kept his eyes peeled, knowing that if Zofia had anything planned, now was the time to do it. He took comfort in the fact that she wouldn't bomb an escort that she was a part of, but that didn't rule out any other possibilities.

They drove silently through France, which only made Rook even more nervous, the closer they got to their destination, the more paranoid he became. It wasn't until they finally rolled up to the GIGN garage that he finally allowed himself to breath. They may just get out of this safely.

/

No one said anything as Twitch and Castle drove back to headquarters with Adelaine cuffed in the backseat. Castle looked out the window, trying his best not to even breath in Twitch's direction, as if that would change the fact that there was a big ass elephant in the room, or rather, car.

"I'm sorry for cuffing you the steering wheel, alright Emmanuelle?"

Before Twitch could answer, Adelaine popped up from the backseat. "Wait, Emmanuelle as in Emmanuelle Pichon?" she asked "I knew I recognized those dumbass eyes. Is that you under that mask you little whore?"

Castle saw Twitch's hand tighten around the wheel so hard that her knuckles turned white. "That's enough." He warned Adelaine.

"We should have killed her Campbell."

"Shit, did you just say Campbell?" Adelaine asked, clearly amused by Castle's name "You're not Lieutenant Campbell's kid right? You know, the one killed when the white masks bombed an LAPD precinct. The way they did it was pretty smart too. Strapping explosives on drones they drove into the vents, it's what made me want to become a white mask in the first place."

"Shut up."

"What's wrong Pichon, afraid I'll tell him where they got the drones?"

"I said shut the fuck up!"

"They bought a bunch of secondhand drones from the black market. Secondhand shock drones. I heard a certain someone in Team Rainbow specializes in that."

Castle turned to face Twitch. "Is she telling the truth?"

"She's lying Miles. Don't listen to her."

"Oh I'm lying? Who else can make that many shock drones? It was you Pichon. You killed Campbell's father."

"Tell me the truth Emmanuelle." Castle demanded.

"You're choosing to believe her over me?"

"I am if you keep on dodging the question."

As they fought, Adelaine took the chance and reached over the driver's seat, choking Twitch with her handcuffs. Twitch lost control of the wheel and jerked it to the right, rolling the car over. She kicked the back door open while Twitch and Castle were still tangled in their seatbelts.

She crawled out just as she heard them unbuckle their seatbelts. She got to her feet and took off. Castle and Twitch both got out through their windows and went after her.

"Fuck this." Twitch took her pistol out and aimed for Adelaine despite Castle's objections.

Before she could get a shot off, a broken sparkplug from the engine fell down to a pool off gasoline below it and ignited. The explosion sent Twitch and Castle to the ground, and a shard of shrapnel found itself in the square of Adelaine's back. Despite the ringing in their ears, they walked over to her body, bleeding profusely from the huge gash in her back. She looked at Twitch, her eyes begging her to end her suffering.

Twitch stowed her pistol. "No. We're supposed to bring you back alive."

Twitch walked away, leaving Adelaine bleeding out on the ground behind her. She looked at Castle with remorse but he looked away. He walked over to the wreckage to see what he can salvage without another word. Twitch fished her Sat phone from her pocket and thankfully found out it was still functional. She called back to base andd Zofia answered, asking about Adelaine.

Twitch looked over to the bloody corpse on the street. "Good news and bad news."

"Oh god, what is it?" Zofia asked, sounding more annoyed than worried.

"Bad news is she's lying on the street with shrapnel sticking out of her back." Twitch said "Good news is it wasn't because of me. We have insurance for the cars right?"

Twitch could almost here Zofia roll her eyes. "Just get back here, I'll sort it out later."

By now Castle had finished going through what was left of the wreckage. Twitch called out to him but he ignored her, instead asking for her phone to talk to Zofia.

"It's too late for us to go back to base without a car. We'll find a place to spend the night then go back in the morning." He hung up the phone and gave it back to Twitch, not bothering to tell her what Zofia's response was.

"There is a motel near here. We can spend the night there." Twitch said, being answered with only a grunt. She took the lead and Castle followed and soon they were at the doorstep of a dingy motel just after midnight. The clerk at the front desk had her feet up on the counter, chewing on gum while using a nail file. She refused to acknowledge them until they were directly in front of them. She put her feet down and asked them what they needed.

"Two rooms please." Castle said, which although Twitch thought it was a waste of money, she understood why he wanted to be alone right know.

"Sorry, we only have one room left."

"We'll take it." Twitch said, grabbing the keys before Castle could refuse.

The two of them walked to their room and Twitch unlocked the door. She told Castle she'll go see what food she can get from the vending machine which more of an excuse to leave him alone for a while than anything else. She bought a soda and finished it before going back to their room. She opened the door and saw Castle, a bottle of beer from the mini fridge in one hand, a photo of him and his father in the other. He was on the verge of tears.

"It was my final year in college." Twitch said "I needed to show them a working prototype of the plans I submitted or they won't give me a degree. I needed parts and I didn't have the money for them. After I graduated high school my parents completely cut me out and they told the bank I can't get any money under their name unless they're for basic needs. I had no choice left so I got a loan from some shady people. I wasn't proud of it, but I did it anyway, and I was able to buy enough parts to build more than one drone, so that's what I did. I presented to best drone to the university and sold the rest to the black market so I won't have my legs broken by the loan sharks. If I hadn't done that, your father…" Twitch's voice broke.

"You were a college student who needed money." Castle murmured "You had no way of knowing who those drones would go to. It wasn't your fault."

Twitch looked into his eyes. He was being completely sincere with her and she couldn't have respected him more. She nearly killed someone over a grudge while Castle stood in front of the person responsible for his father's death and he forgave her. Her respect for him grew, as well as her admiration.

She walked up to him and gave him a kiss and Castle actually kissed back. It wasn't until he felt Twitch fumble with his belt that he pushed her off. "Emmanuelle I don't want you to do this because you feel like you owe me something." Twitch just smiled, she didn't deserve him.

"Oh Miles, you don't know how long I've wanted this."

That was good enough for him. They continued to make out, stumbling around the room as they took off each other's clothes. Soon, they were both naked and Twitch pushed Castle onto the bed. She kneeled in front of him and took his length into her hand and began to stroke him, slowly at first before speeding up. She went on like this for a while, squeezing him every now and then to remind him that he was at her mercy.

She stroked him even faster, enjoying the look on his face as he was about release all the pressure she has been building up. She put his length in her mouth at the last second as Castle grunted and came in her mouth, all of which she swallowed in one gulp.

She crawled on top of him and whispered in his ear. "My turn."

She straddled Castle's head and he began to lick her. Twitch bit her lip as he ate her out, trying to silence herself as Castle's toungue found the inside of her wet slit. Her walls began to tighten as he played with her clit and her hips bucked, trying to get his toungue deeper into her. She cried out as she orgasmed and covered Castle's face with her fluids.

She gave him another kiss and aligned her entrance with the head of his length and dropped into him, both of them gasping at the feeling of Castle inside her. She moved up and down, squirming as she rode him, his size hirting her in all the right ways. She stopped trying to stiffle her moans anymore, to caught up in her own pleasure to care who hears her. Her walls began to tighten around Castle's length and he grabbed her by the waist. He switched their positions in a swift move and continued to thrust into her without missing a beat. He thrusted deeper into her and Twitch couldn't take it anymore, screaming his name as she was sent over the edge.

Seeing Twitch fall apart in front of him was too much for Castle bit Twitch locked her legs around him before he could pull out.

"Emmanuelle I'm close, let go."

"No." Twitch gasped "Cum inside me!"

Castle wanted to argue that it was a bad idea but Twitch kept grinding and it was too late. He grunted again as he finished inside her, the feeling of his hot fluid crashing against her cervix sent Twitch into pure ecstacy. Castle got off and laid down next to her. Twitch shuddered as she inserted a finger into herself then put it in her mouth, sucking on their mixed fluids. She gave Castle another kiss before rolling off to sleep.

Castle couldn't sleep that night. No matter how much he tried to block them out, thoughts of the consequences of what they just did that night kept crawling their way into the back of his mind.


	15. Chapter 15

"I just got off the phone with Pichon and Campbell." Zofia declared to everyone as they got their stuff ready. "They said they'll be here in ten minutes. If you're not ready to leave by then you're staying in France."

"You know you're not our mother, right?" Thermite said as he swung his backpack over his shoulder.

"Then stop acting like children."

A female GIGN operative poked her head in the garage, asking for Zofia. She went with her, which was a relief for Rook, who was basically hiding behind Ela at this point, although she doubted that would make that much of a difference. If Zofia was willing to hit her own sister, who knows what she'd do to him.

"She's gone Julien." Ela said as soon as Zofia stepped out of the room.

"Thank god." Rook exhaled "I don't think I would have lived if we were in the same room for ten minutes."

"Stop worrying about her." Ela turned to face him, mischief in her eyes "You're focusing on the wrong sister."

Rook stared back with the same expression. "What are you suggesting?"

Ela got up from her seat and grabbed Rook's hand. She dragged him to the follow car he parked by the end of the garage and opened the door.

"Now what the hell were you two planning to do?"

Both Rook and Ela recoiled back at the sight of Mira already occupying the driver's seat. "What the hell Elena?!" Rook yelled at her "You can't do that."

"Do what? Sit in a car or stop two horny children from breaking the no-fraternization rule?"

They just stared at her and she continued. "That's what I thought. Get in, I need to show you something."

Rook and Ela did as they were told and Mira pulled out her phone, which had all the camera feeds in the base.

"Elena, where did you get these?" Rook asked, worried.

"Did you really think I'd leave Grace's transmitter back home?"

"You do realize you're committing a felony by doing this right?"

"So?" Mira asked "We've done this a million times by now, how is this any different?"

"Because we don't answer to GIGN, at least not anymore." Rook added that last part "If we get caught, Six has to answer for it, which is bad news for Team Rainbow and for us."

"That is Zofia catches us, but she won't. She's too focused on something else." Mira said matter-of-factly. "I was right."

Mira handed Rook the phone and showed him the live feed. Zofia and the operative Mira correctly assumed was a white mask were arguing. Rook and Ela only saw the end of it but Mira said she had recorded everything.

"That's perfect." Ela said "We show this and the two other recordings we have to Six and it's enough evidence to-"

As Ela was talking, someone knocked on the window making the three of them jump. Speak of the devil. "What the hell are you three doing here?" Zofia asked "I said be ready to leave. Pichon and Campbell are here, get off your ass."

The four of them walked to the bus that wolud drive them to the private airstrip of the GIGN. Already inside were Ash, Thermite, Castle, Twitch and Sledge, with the female operator Zofia was talking to behind the wheel. Mira sat in front with the Bosak sisters and Rook sat next to Castle.

"You two look like you had fun." Rook said to Castle, who had a sly grin on his face.

"Maybe we did. You lost a good one when you promised to Emmanuelle all those years ago."

"And you lost a bad one when you rolled your car over."

"Hey, to be fair, I wasn't the one driving." Castle said nonchalantly. Sure her death was a tragic one, but no one was going to be grieving Adelaine anytime soon.

Rook closed his eyes as the bus left, nodding off for most of the drive to the airstrip. His slumber was rudely shortened when the bus screeched to a halt. "What the hell?" he groaned out, but the others were too busy staring out the windows to acknowledge him. He looked out too, and he realized why. The ground was littered with the corpses of their would be pilots, along with many other operatives. Zofia was the first to get out and the others followed. Before any of them could say a word they were surrounded by multiple armed GIGN operatives, dirty ones, Rook assumed.

"What the fuck is going on?" Thermite demanded.

The white mask operatives dragged a bruised and bloodied CO from behind the plane and brought him to his knees in front of them. The female operator took off her recruit mask and Rook remebered where he heard her voice before. She was the white mask from the first time they were infiltrated. "This is what's happening." She pulled out a pistol and shot the CO in the head, his body falling to the ground in a pool of blood. "We caught you eight execute the precint's Commanding Officer and everyone out here to make sure no one found out."

"Do you really think anyone will fall for that shit?" Mira asked, enraged.

"Why wouldn't they?" The female white mask continued "You fucked up, and left one of them alive, and she managed to call for help." She then did something no one expected and shot Zofia in the stomach and she fell to the ground, hand pressed over her wound.

"What the fuck?!" Zofia yelled "I said in the leg, not the stomach."

The female white massk just shrugged. "This looks more realistic." She said "Besides, I know how to shoot someone and miss all the vital organs, you'll be fine." She put her mask back on just as a handful of military vehicles arrived to surround them even more.

""Thank god you're here, I caught them just as the plane was about to take off."

Unlike the others, these operatives were actually just following orders, so none of them decided to fight back as they were brought to their knees and handcuffed before being thrown in the back of the vehicle with bags over their heads.

/

Buck shivered as the cool midnight breeze crashed against his face. He was starting to get used to life at the base, he even chose to decline when Julien offered him an operation, only to get thrown headfirst into another one the minute the others left. Now he was perched on a rooftop with Bandit breathing down his neck while the two of them waited for the last employees of a law firm that helped set countless white masks free. The bias in trials were so painfully obvious, but for some reason, it still wasn't enough for Six. She needed more evidence and that's what they're there for.

If only they didn't have to do it this late. And if only the new operator that was said to be accompanying them actually showed up. But none of that matters now, the building was clear. He nodded to Bandit and the two of them descended the building across the street and entered the building of the law firm.

They threw on their disguises and walked past the front desk hurriedly, hoping the person there wouldn't be suspicious of two repairmen would be here this time of night. They got in the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor, finally breathing when they were out of sight. When the doors opened, they kept their caps low, shielding their faces from any cameras in the hallway.

They entered the offices and took their hats off. Bandit plugged another transmitter from Grace into one of the cameras. If this place was as dirty as Six said it was, no one would bat an eye if hours of footage from the camera feed just "disappeared".

"You know what to look for. Tell me if you find anything." Buck said to Bandit and they began searching.

After a while in the search, Bandit whistled for Buck to come over and he pointed to a small pile of white powder on the table. Despite Buck's objections, he grabbed a pinch of it and examined it between hjs finhers.

"It's cocaine."

"You can't just assume that." Buck said.

"Trust me, it's cocaine." Bandit replied in a tone that made it clear to Buck that the conversation was over. He grabbed a small container and started to push cocaine into it. "I'll just take this for evidence and-"

"Dominic, no." Buck slapped his hand, making him drop the container and his flashlight. He muttured something to Buck and bent down to pick it up, when he saw a secret compartment in the desk. He forced it open. Inside it was a duffel bag filled with cash and a file. It was one of the recent arrests they had made on a white mask, and attached to it was a check and a note. _You'll get the rest after you win me the case_ it said.

He showed it to Buck. "There were many others like this."

"That's enough to build a case. Grab a copy and let's go."

Bandit took the file and put it in the copier machine. He turned it on and stood by the copier while waiting for it to finish. Buck decided to look around even more and in doing so, he steped on a puddle.

"What the-?" he raised his foot to get a closer inspection of the liquid. It wasn't water and when he shone his flashlight on it, a crimson reflection stared back at him. He looked in front of him to see even more of it leading to a door. He pulled his sidearm out and slowly opened it, seeing a man tied up to a chair with his throat slit. He was about to call for Bandit when he was pushed out, losing his gun as he fell. He spotted a woman covered in blood run towards the exit. Right where Bandit is.

"Dominic!" Buck yelled, getting both Bandit's and the woman's attention. She grabbed a letter opener from a desk and shoved it straight into Bandit's chest. He fell to the ground and his attacker turned around just in time to see Buck's feet as he drop kicked her through the glass divider of the CEO's office.

He helped Bandit up, who pulled the letter opener from his chest and threw it. "Thank god I inhaled all that coke or this would hurt like a bitch."

"What?"

"Uh, nothing. Let's cuff her before she wakes up." Bandit hurriedly pushed past Buck before he cluld ask any questions. The woman was laying in a pile of broken safety glass. Just as she was about to get up, Buck pushed her down and placed a pair of handcuffs on her. She began to struggle against them as she yelled at both of them in a language they didn't understand.

"What did she say?" Buck asked.

"I think that's italian."

Buck looked back to her, who didn't stop yelling what were clearly profanities in her native tounge. "You're a long way from home."

Buck and Bandit snuck her out with a gun on her back and a jacket over her wrists to cover the cuffs. They got in the car across the street and drove back to base. Bandit walked over to the infirmary and Buck dragged their straggler to the interrogation room, where Six was waiting for him.

"Cote, what happened?"

"We have the evidence but this bitch put Dominic out of commission. I can continue the investigation but an extra set of hands won't hurt."

Six nodded. "I'll see what I can do. I can take it from here."

Buck pushed the woman to Six and turned around towards the dorms. His watch said it was only three in the morning. Just a quick nap and he'll continue working the case.

/

"You're fucking crazy!"

The bag over Ela's head was forcefully yanked off and she squinted as her eyes readjusted to the bright fluorescent lights of what seemed to be an interrogation room. Once she saw who was in front of her, she would've preferred the bag to still be on her head.

"Ela please calm down." Zofia pleaded. She looked pretty calm for someone who had a bullet in her stomach. Ela wasn't sure how long they were out, but if it was long enough for her to heal, no matter how superficial the bullet wound was, she was worried.

"You want me to calm down?!" Ela yelled. She tried to stand up but the chains around her wrist immediately disagreed with her. "You've been going behind our backs to pull shit like this and you want me to calm down?"

"I know how you feel but you have to understand Ela."

"Understand what? What could they have possibly given you that could make you go against everything our father stood for?"

"They have my family Ela!" Zofia's voice was shaky. She tried to keep a straight face in front of her sister, but the thought of her daughter was taking a toll on her composure. "I know you think we were forced to get married because of my daughter but that does not mean I love them any less."

Ela wasn't sure if she wanted to be angry or sorry for her sister. She decided to stay quiet.

"They demanded the outpost, showed me a video of them beating my husband tied to a chair." Zofia said "That night you went out for Pereira and Souza, that was the night they were supposed to take it. I was going to go get you but you weren't there. I didn't want to risk it so I forced them to take it another day." Zofia lifted her shirt, exposing a huge, fresh scar running down her side. "They weren't happy with me. That's why I kept trying to separate you and Nizan. I could only save one and if you two were together I know you won't leave him behind."

"Why didn't you go to Six?"

"It took her two days for her to allow me to send someone out for Pereira and Souza. If that's all she's willing to do to help her own operatives, you can understand why I don't trust her with the lives of my family."

"That's different, we're dealing with a child here!" Ela yelled.

"Maybe, but it's too late now. They'll be taking the outpost soon."

"We have evidence against you." Ela said "It's just sitting there with Monika and the others. They will use it if we don't come back with you."

"I know." Zofia said, slightly surprising Ela "I'm prepared to deal with that when it comes to it. Please just stay out of it, and maybe I can cut a deal for you and your friends when all this is over."

"There are good people in there. Innocent people."

"My daughter is innocent. My husband is innocent. There will always be casualties in war Ela, it's up to us to choose who we save."

"If you think I'm just going to sit around while you help slaughter an entire outpost you're more retarded than I thought."

Zofia sighed. She signaled to the camera in the room. "Then you leave me no choice. I'm sorry Ela."

The door behind Ela swung open and a set of hands slammed her against the table and held her there. She felt a needle pierce the back of her neck, and she began to fell dizzy.

Then everything went black.


	16. Chapter 16

"Did you get any sleep last night?"

Buck didn't answer. He was too focused trying to stop his head from falling down onto his poutine. The dark circles under his eyes heavily contrasted against his skin and even his beanie couldn't hide the bird's nest that was his hair. IQ snapped her fingers and brought him back to earth.

"Sorry, did you say something?"

"I said you're working too hard." IQ said. Their table looked empty with only the two of them. Jager arrived and sat next to her, immediately asking the same question IQ did.

"I worked on the case last night." Buck said "It would've gone faster if I had Dominic with me. How's he doing by the way?"

"He's fine. Or at least fine enough to start annoying Doc and the other medical staff." Jager said.

"Then why hasn't he come help me yet?"

"It's not him that's the problem. No matter how much he's annoying him, Doc won't clear him yet."

"I can help you if you want." IQ offered but Buck declined.

"I appreciate the offer Monika, but I stayed up until six last night. I wouldn't want to be the one to rob you of your beauty sleep, not that you really need it."

Thankfully Buck was half asleep so he missed the light shade of red that IQ's face developed. But Jager didn't. "Didn't Six say the new operator was supposed to be helping you."

"Well whoever it was they totally flaked on me."

"You caught someone last night didn't you?" IQ aksed "Try and see what you can get from her."

"Six already questioned her." Buck said "But it's a better shot than anything I have at the moment. I'll give it a shot." He stood up and gave her a pat on the head. He left, leaving Jager and IQ alone. Jager waited until he was out off earshot before turning to IQ.

"Aren't you two just adorable."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." IQ said.

"I'm not blind Monika." Jager said "Besides, I heard you tell Sebastien when you got shot."

"Well Sebastien didn't." IQ said somewhat dissappointed "What you're seeing, that's the most he's done since I told him. He's as observant as a brick."

"You can always ask Tina."

"Yeah, you're right." IQ and got up to leave, leaving Jager alone to finish his breakfast.

Buck basically sleepwalked to the holding cells, only to be shocked awake when he saw it was empty. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he was seeing what he thinks he's seeing before bolting out to go to Six. He passed through the cafeteria where Six was conveniently asking Jager where he was. Jager pointed towards him and Six turned around to face him.

"Ah, Cotè, there you are."

"No time." Buck said "She's gone. The woman Dominic and I arrested got out."

"She didn't get out. No one can. I let her out." Six said, explaining further when she saw Buck's face. "That woman you 'arrested', she was the new operator I told you about. Meet Aria de Luca, or Alibi, if you will. She's your new partner."

From behind Six, Alibi emerged looking as disgusted as Buck. "I'm not working with him."

"I'm not exactly thrilled to be with you, either." Buck retorted "I'd rather do this myself Six."

"I understand your concerns," Six said "but that was not a request. Make it work."

Six turned around and left, leaving Buck and Alibi in an awkward standoff. "One hell of a first impression asshole." She said.

"Which one?" Buck asked "My feet on your body or your body on the window?"

Alibi glared at him, pondering if striking him would be worth it, before leaving as well. From behind him, Jager sat there, who shook his head having witnessed everything unfold.

"She's actually worse than Dominic." Jager said "Good luck."

That night, Buck stayed up late, files splayed on his bed and coffee on his nightstand. Just as he was about to give up and go to sleep, he heard a knock on the door. He stood up to answer it only to slam it shut almost immediately, although Alibi's foot wedged between the doorway denied him of the pleasure of hearing the door slam on her face.

"What the hell?" She asked "I came to help you and this is what you do?"

"I don't need your help." Buck said, walking back to his bed.

Alibi raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Because the way I see it you're clearly going nowhere fast."

"Then what do you suggest then?"

Alibi threw him a crumpled letter and he opened it. Inside it was the names of Team Rainbow's busts that were supposed to go to trial. Buck crumpled it and threw it back.

"That's the same as what Dominic and I brought back. I haven't gotten anything from it."

"That's because you're looking in the wrong place dumbass." Alibi spread the paper and laid it on the bed. She pointed to the address it was supposed to be sent. Buck squinted at it and pondered a bit before dismissing the idea.

"Do you think anyone would be dumb enough to send information this sensitive through the post?"

"Why do you think it was crumpled on the ground next to a corpse?" Alibi asked "It's easy for a desperate man to fuck up."

"Alright, fine." Buck stood up "You caught my attention."

"That's not the only thing I'll be catching tonight. Go to the armory, get our gear and a duffel bag with my name on it and meet me in the garage." She left Buck's room without closing the door. He grumbled and got up to do what she told him. He left for the armory, taking his time. What was she going to do? He knows she won't leave with just a sidearm.

"Cotè, what brings you here?" the recruit guarding the armory asked him.

"I need a few things." Buck said "Open it please."

The recruit reached under the desk and pressed a button. Buck heard a beep and the red light above the doorway turned green. Six really improved the security measures after Castle proved breaking into it was easy. He walked inside and grabbed his CAMRS as well as Alibi's MX4. He walked over to the tables where the gadgets sat and looked for her Alibi's duffel.

"De Luca, huh?" Buck said to himself as he grabbed the bag "What a weird way to spell bitch."

He took even more time to walk to the garage, where an angry Alibi was standing by the impound lot. Buck felt a pang of guilt when he saw that it wasn't Gerry working there anymore but Alibi turned her anger to him.

"What took you so long?"

Buck just shrugged her off and handed her her smg. Alibi noticed his gun over his shoulder and scoffed at him. "Is there a problem?"

"That's all you have to offer?" Alibi asked "Anyone with two guns and duct tape can do what you do."

Buck shoved the duffel bag into Alibi's chest. "You're one to talk. I read your file. As if anyone would ever want more than one of you."

The recruit working there emerged from under the desk with a form and a set of keys. Buck signed the form but Alibi snatched the keys before he could grab them.

"Give me the keys, Aria."

"You think I'd trust you to drive?" Alibi asked as she got in the driver's seat.

Buck rolled his eyes and pulled the handle on the passenger's side door only to find it locked. He knocked of the window but Alibi ignored him.

"Uh-uh. You sit in the back."

Buck grumbled as he reached for the back seat door. "Bitch."

/

IQ stood outside Frost's room, her hand hovering over the door. Her watch said it was almost one in the morning. Would she really disturb Tina for this? Before she could stop herself, her hand moved closer to the door and knocked. The door immediately opened as if Frost was waiting by it, although from her getup, she probably was.

"Tina, I'm sorry, uh did I wake you?"

Frost was holding a book and a pair of headphones and looked like she was just about to head out. "Not really. I couldn't sleep."

IQ rubbed the back of her neck. "Can we talk? I need to ask you something about-"

"Tina, oh my god please be quiet!" Hibana yelled out from inside the room.

"Sorry Yumiko." Frost apologized "Let's talk in the recreation room."

IQ followed her to the rec room, which was thankfully empty, despite its reputaion. Not much people want to risk getting caught with their hands in someone else's pants now that Six demanded cameras in there as part of the new security measures. Frost pulled out a chair and sat on it while IQ walked over to grab a drink. She offered one to Frost and when she declined she sat across from her.

"So, what's on your mind?"

IQ didn't speak immediately, thinking of a proper way to say what she was going to say. "Is Sebastien…" she made a gesture with her hand asking Frost to continue her sentence.

"Single?"

IQ nodded.

"Yes. We all are, remember?" Frost winked.

"You know what I mean Tina." IQ said flatly.

Frost chuckled. "You're really serious about this huh?" she asked "He's not with anyone at the moment. At least none that I know of, which is highly unlikely since he's basically my brother."

"Even if he was with someone he probably won't notice."

"He's always been oblivious." Frost said "I remember back when we were JTF-2, he had a partner who had a huge crush on him. I watched everyday as all the advances she made go completely over Sebastien's head."

"How long before he finally noticed." IQ asked.

"He never did."

IQ's head dropped to the table. "He's hopeless."

Frost got up and gave her head a rub. "Don't worry," she said "I saw his browser history. He has a thing for blondes." Frost left, leaving IQ to think about what she said. It wasn't much, but she'll take it.

/

Alibi pulled up to the address on the letter. They were near the gates of a mansion.

"So much for subtlety." Buck said as he screwed on a suppressor to his pistol.

"If it's stupid enough, people won't even consider it." Alibi said "Like two dumbasses dressed like repairmen. There's no way they're highly trained operators, now are they? The same way someone with someone who has to keep a low profile. No one would ever expect them to live in a place that sticks out like a sore thumb."

Buck knew IQ would want him to take the high road, but she wasn't here right now. "Hey, if it works it's not stupid." He said "Try not to kill this one."

"For the last time that wasn't me." Alibi snapped.

"Sure, that explains you covered in his blood."

Alibi slammed on thhe brakes and killed the engine. She pointed a finger at Buck. "Let me explain it one last time, and slowly because apparently your brain is as small as your dick since you can't understand something so simple." She said "When I arrived you two fucks weren't there yet. While I waited I saw someone beat one of the employees and forced him back in the building. I followed them and by the time I found out why the employee had his throat slit and his attacker had ran. I tried to help him but he lost too much blood so I hid in that room in case whoever attacked him came back."

"Then it's a good thing it was us who found you otherwise you'd be dead." Buck said.

"You think I can't take care of myself?"

"Never put all your focus on one hostile if you know there is more than one." Buck said "Next time you come at me or anyone for that matter, you better make sure they're alone."

"You got lucky asshole." Alibi said "If that coked-up german garbage wasn't there I would've beaten your ass to the ground."

"Let's go a couple of rounds and maybe you'll find out."

A shot went off interrupting them just as Alibi cocked her fist back. They looked through the greenery their car was hiding behind and saw a few white masks leave the mansion while another stayed back to call someone on a phone. While he was doing so, the other white masks came back with rubber gloves and plastic tarp. The clean up crew.

"We can catch them right now." Alibi said "No attorney can defend them if they get caught in the act."

Buck was already ahead of her, replacing the muzzle break on his CAMRS with a suppressor. He nodded to her and the two of them went from behind the mansion. They entered through the backdoor with their side arms drawn as they tried to navigate through the dark mansion. A white mask wandered into the room they were in and pulled up his gun at Alibi.

"On the ground!" he yelled, only to be ignored.

"Are you deaf? On the fucking ground!" he pistol whipped her, shocked when his hand went through her in a flash of static blue light.

From behind him, Alibi emerged from the shadows brandishing a kitchen knife. She lunged at him and drove it into his neck. Another white mask entered with his gun up just as she pulled the knife out. Time froze as she realized the situation she was in. By the time she pulled out her own gun, the white mask would have already shot her, and she was too far to knife him.

She was fucked.

At least she thought so, until two suppressed shots from Buck's pistol changed the odds. "What did I tell you Aria?" he asked as he offered her his hand. She swiped it away as she got up on her own. They continued making their way through the mansion, getting closer and closer the more white masks they took out.

They finally reached the bedroom, where a quick peek with a drone told them the white masks shot the head of the law firm and were making it look like a suicide. Buck pocketed his drone and looked at Alibi, who was standing by the other side of the door way. He unslung his CAMRS and waited for Alibi to give him a signal. She nodded and he blew the door open with his skeleton key. Alibi threw a prisma inside the room, which the startled white masks shot at. Once they began to show up as pings in her goggles, both her and Buck peeked through the door, gunning down all but one hostile.

The one they left alive was by the side of the bed, bleeding from a bullet that he caught during the crossfire. He was pulling shells from the bullet loops of his vest to load his shotgun with when Buck kicked the gun away from his hands. He pressed his dmr against the white mask's forehead, demanding to know where the others went. The white mask glared at him before smiling.

"Right behind you."

Buck swung around with his CAMRS raised, taking two of them out when the white mask behind him kicked his knees out making him lose his balance and miss the third white mask, who tackled him through the balcony door and to the poolside a floor below. The white mask began to beat Buck, who tried and failed to parry most of his punches as he tried to see where his dmr landed, only to not see it anywhere within his reach.

As the white mask cocked his fist back preparing for another strike, Buck grabbed a broken shard of glass and shoved it into his side and pushed him upward before his head exploded in a cloud of blood. Buck pushed his corpse away from him and saw Alibi on the balcony, his CAMRS in her hands.

They met back near the front gate, where Alibi was not even trying to be gentle as she dragged their limping prisoner to their car. When they got back to base, Alibi brought the white mask to the interrogation room while instructing Buck to get Doc to treat their wounded prisoner. After all, he can't talk if he's dead.

After he sent Doc on his way, he went to Jager's room, who was thankfully still awake.

"Hey Marius." He said "Do you have anymore alcohol? I have to work another all-nighter with De luca and I really don't want to do it sober."

Jager nodded and closed the door before later reappearing with a dark, unlabeled bottle. "If anyone asks, it's cough syrup."

Buck thanked him and left for the interrogation room. Even if they did get anything out of the white mask, he and Alibi would still have to work all night for the case. He sighed, this was going to be a long night.

…

Buck woke up with a sour taste in his mouth and a migrane, which didn't surprise him since he did remember drinking a lot last night, even if that was all he could remember. What did surprise him was that the bed he was sleeping on had a different feeling than the one he was used to. That, and the definitely feminine and definitely naked body lying next to him.

"Holy shit!" he yelled out before he could stop himself.

The body next to him groaned and rolled to the side. "I didn't get any sleep last night because of you and now you're going to wake me up?"

Buck recognized that voice and there was no way it was her. No fucking way. "Aria?" he asked "What the fuck happened last night."

Alibi got up on her elbows and looked at Buck. "What didn't happen was us working the case, thanks to whatever was in your flask."

Buck was still having difficulty trying to wrap his head around what happened. "Oh my god, this can't be happening. What did we just do?"

"Why are you so worried?" Alibi asked "You clearly enjoyed yourself last night."

"Jesus christ, did we, did we use condoms?"

Alibi smirked. "Don't worry, if the pain in my ass is telling me anything, we wouldn't have needed them."

She got up, and when Buck saw her body in the sunlight, he saw for a minute why drunk Sebastien would want to do her, despite the bitchyness. He got up as well and grabbed his clothes from the floor. After putting them on, he went for the door. "God, I need to clear my head."

"That's it?" Alibi asked him, still without any clothing "You sleep with me and you just leave?"

"I, uh-"

Alibi laughed. "I'm just kidding. Get out of my room."

Buck went to the showers to clear his head before going to the mess hall, where Jager was sitting at their table. "That really was an all-nighter huh?" he asked as Buck sat down.

"Please don't talk about that." Buck said, laying his head down on the table.

"Why what happened?"

Buck didn't answer him.

"Sebastien what's wrong?"

Buck still kept his head down.

"Oh come on Sebastien, it's not like you slept with her."

Buck finally raised his head and looked guiltily at Jager.

"You slept with her?!"

"Marius, shut up!" Buck said in a whisper "Do you want the whole goddamn outpost to hear you?"

"What were you thinking?" Jager asked.

"It was the alcohol."

"It's always the alcohol Sebastien. What do you think Monika will say when she finds out?"

Just as Jager said that, IQ walked up to the table without her usual cheery demeanor and for a second, Buck thought she somehow found out, but it wasn't anger that was plastered on her face. It was worry.

"Zofia's back." She said "And the others aren't with her."


	17. Chapter 17

Zofia watched as two white masks dragged Ela's unconcious body out of the interrogation room, feeling a pang of guilt when her head hit the side of the door frame. She'll remember those white masks for when all this was over. She got up and walked over to the common room where she got glared at by the white masks that were staying there. They were right to glare at her, Zofia thought, she was only working with them to get her family back. Once they're safe, she'll burn this place to the ground.

Near the back of the room was a female white mask with her feet up on the table and a file on her nails. Amelia Fischer. She was there during the first attack on the outpost, she was there when the others were caught and now she's on Zofia's nerves.

"Hey Ballsack." She said when Zofia walked up to her. "You ready to go?"

Zofia pushed Amelia's feet of the table. "I want to see my family first."

Amelia sighed and got up. "You better enjoy it." She said "Because if you fuck this up, the next time you'll see them is when their bodies are being burned alongside your sister's."

Zofia's fist tightened as she followed Amelia through the halls of the white mask base to where her husband and daughter were being kept. Unlike their other prisoners, they weren't kept in holding cells. Instead, they opted to put them in the other side of a dark room that was behind half a foot of bulletproof glass.

Amelia flicked a light switch when she entered the room and Zofia caught sight of her family. Her husband laid on the decrepid bed, getting more and more bruised and broken every time she sees him. Sitting next to him was a small girl, who immediately ran to the glass when she saw her mother. Zofia got down on her knees to look her daughter in the eyes.

"Are we going home, mommy?"

Zofia held her tears back as she tried to keep a straight face in front of her daughter. "N-not yet, Sophie. I just had to see you and your fatherr again. This will all be over soon, don't worry." She pressed her hand against the glass, and Sophie did too, wanting to feel her mother's touch again, but the wall of glass in between them said otherwise.

Amelia shut the lights and they were back in darkness. She chuckled as she watched Zofia wipe a tear from her eye. "It's funny, don't you think?" she asked "Most people hate on clichés, but they are the most effective."

"Using someone's family against them isn't cliché, it's fucked up."

"Maybe, but at least that accident in that room finally has purpose."

Something inside Zofia finally snapped. Holding her daughter hostage was one thing. Calling her a mistake was another, not to mention the fact that now even Ela was on the chopping block too. Zofia pulled her pistol out and pointed it at Amelia, who was unfazed by it.

"Oh come on Ballsack, do you really want to do that?" she asked "You're I deep shit enough as it is, killing me will only sign your family's death warrant."

Zofia knew she was right, but her finger was still squeezing towards the trigger. They were in a locked in a staring contest, until Amelia snatched the gun from Zofia's hands.

"Don't you ever put a gun on me again."

She walked out, leaving Zofia to look at the dark bulletproof wall that kept her family from her one last time before following Amelia to the locker room. She arrived just as Amelia had switched from her usual white mask get up to a recruit uniform that she took from one of the countless GIGN operativves they slaughtered getting the others here. Zofia thought that Six would notice the pilot that came back with her suddenly turn female, but after looking back at the incident with Pereira and Souza, she realized Six didn't care for the operators working for her as much as she should. They were all just cannonfodder to her.

"Hey." Amelia said snapping her fingers in front of Zofia's face. "Get ready, we have to leave already."

She walked past, bumping her shoulder against Zofia, who took replaced her uniform off and replaced it with one of the recruit uniforms as well. She looked at the mirror as she changed, examining the countless fresh scars all over her upper body, most of them coming from Amelia. Just a little further, she thought, when all this was over, she'll burn along with all of them.

Zofia walked to the garage, where Amelia was leaning against one of Team Rainbow's recently cleaned planes. The white mask actually did a good job of cleaning all the blood from it. The two of them got inside thhe aircraft and flew out of the the white mask's base and towards Team Rainbow's, who don't know what's about to hit them.

/

"Oh my god, is she-?"

The voices around Ela was muffled, as if she was underwater.

"No, she's breathing."

Ela's hearing was working, but not enough to discern who was speaking.

"Move, I have an idea."

A splash of cold water against her face brought Ela back to the world of the concious, shooting upwards with a jolt, surprising the people surrounding her. She looked around, seeing Rook, Ash, Thermite, Mira, Castle, Twitch and Sledge in the room with her.

"What-, where are we?"

"Where we are is up shit creek with our mouths open." Sledge said, tossing the empty bucket he splashed Ela with across the room. Mira walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder, which seemed to make him calm down.

"I don't understand, what happened?" Ela asked Rook as he hepled her up.

"I can't remember much of what happened after we were drugged, but when I woke up we were all in this holding cell. You were still unconcious when a few white masks came to grab you. I tried to stop them but…" Rook trailed off, and now that Ela was fully awake, she noticed a dark bruising underneath one of Rook's eyes. She gave him a hug before grabbing a blanket from the bed to dry off her wet green hair.

"How long was I out?" Ela asked.

"I'm not sure," Sledge said as he peered through the metal grates of the cell door. "But it was long enough for me to memorize it."

"Memorize what?"

Sledge looked through the grates one last time before hudling the others in a circle with their backs facing away from the cameras. "Their pattern." He said in a whisper "Every two hours the guards switch. Once the guard sees the next one at the end of the hallway he leaves his post before the next guard gets here. This cell is at the end of the hallway so that gives us about ten seconds where we are unsupervised, which should be long enough."

"Don't get too excited, Seamus." Thermite said "The door's electronically locked. If we can't get through that, those ten seconds are worthless."

"I can take care of that." Twitch said "Can you give me a hand Miles?"

Castle nodded and the two of them walked to the door, where Castle broke through the panel by the side of it, exposing the wires of the lock. The others watched Twitch fiddle with the wires before going back into a huddle. "Let's say we do get out," Ash said "what do we do about the guards?"

Rook broke apart from the huddle and walked over to the bunk bed where he knocked on the frame. "No wonder this thing's a pain to sleep in, it's thicker than my armor plates." Rook said "I can work with this but I'll need a hand."

"I got it." Ela broke off from the group as well, leaving just Ash, Thermite, Sledge and Mira. "So we have that covered," Sledge said "the holding cells are near the garage, if we get a hold of one of the cars, we're out of here." He looked at his wrist watch. "We wait until midnight, there are less guards awake at that time. For now, make anything that we can use against them."

The rest of the huddle broke off and Ash and Thermite both went to the other beds to get the bolts off. Ash took off her belt and wrapped it around her hand and put the bolts through the holes of her belt. She looked at her makeshift knuckledusters and chuckled. "Goddammit, the next thing I know, my pants will be around my ankles."

Behind her was Thermite, who was disassembling the bed frame. "Who said that's a bad thing?"

"In your dreams Jordan."

"I'd rather be inside somewhere else."

Ash laughed. "You are such a child."

Thermite shrugged. "That's why you love me."

"Love is a strong word." Ash said "I tolerate you."

Thermite laughed. "I'll take it."

At the back of the room was Mira, who was helping Sledge rip a pipe from the wall. While watching the others work, her grip loosened and her hand slipped, making the pipe snap back to the wall, with Sledge's fingers in between them. He recoiled back, swearing as he clutched his hand. Mira apologized and got a hold of the pipe again, and after yelling a few more profanities, so did Sledge. The two of them pulled on it, and with a creak, the pipe snapped clean off the wall. Sledge tied a few pieces of the bedframe to make it top-heavier.

"Not quite my breaching hammer, but I'll take it." He said "So, what's on your mind Alvarez?"

Mira was slightly taken aback by the question. "Nothing."

"You just killed all my fingernails Maria, don't give me that bullshit."

Maria? No one's called her that in a while. She glanced over to Ash and Thermite, then to Rook and Ela, then to Castle and Twitch before answering Sledge's question. "What do you think?"

Sledge followed her gaze. "What's wrong, your vibrator run out of batteries?" he asked, which earned him a glare from Mira. "Sorry, bad joke."

Mira sighed. "I never really cared about it, but after all that's happened, if this doesn't work and we get killed, at least they have each other."

Sledge rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, neither of us are getting any younger, tell you what, when we get out of here, and we will get out of here, I'm taking you out to dinner."

Mira smiled. "You better be a man of your word, Seamus."

/

Zofia and Amelia landed on one of Team Rainbow's airstrips, where a car was waiting for them, ready to take them back to base. Amelia saw the driver and her hand moved to her holster when Zofia stopped her.

"We're here for reconnaissance, don't kill anyone."

As the two of them approached the car, the driver unlocked the door for them. "May I ask about the others, ma'am?"

"We were ambushed. We're all that's left." Zofia said, which was convincing, since she did have a bullet wound in her stomach.

"I'm sorry to hear that." The driver said.

"Just take us back to base please."

The driver nodded and started the engine. None of them spoke as they drove back to base, but Zofia kept her eye on Amelia to make sure she won't kill the driver. They arrived at the base, where IQ was running her usual laps in the morning. She slowed down when she saw them, and immediately took off when she realized that the others weren't with her.

Zofia thought about going after her, but she changed her mind. They'll not be here for long anyway. Once the car parked, the two of them got off and walked towards the entrance of the base wjere they were stopped by a guard, who took second glance at Amelia.

"Can we help you?" Zofia asked, trying to push Amelia through.

The guard wouldn't let her. "You can't, but she can." He said, pointing to Amelia.

Amelia turned to face him. "Is there a problem?"

The guard stared at her through the eye holes. "Take off your mask."

"What? Why?"

"Why not?" the guard asked "It won't be a problem if you have nothing to hide."

The two of them were at a standoff and Zofia couldn't do anything about it. Thankfully Six could, who arrived just as Amelia looked like she was about to reach for her gun. "Bosak, are you really going to make me come get you?"

Zofia was about to answer but Amelia beat her to it. "You have this rent-a-cop to thank for that. If he hadn't wasted our time with pointless bullshit, we'd be in your office by now."

Zofia's suspicions were confirmed when Six didn't notice the fact that a different pilot came back with her. Six turned to the guard with a frown. "You do realize I need to get that information they gathered as soon as possible right."

"I thought-, I'm sorry, it won't happen again." The guard stuttered, feeling that it was more important not to anger Six more than he already has. Smart choice.

The three of them entered the base passing through the mess hall on the way to Six's office, where Buck, Jager and IQ were staring them down as they walked through. As they exited, Zofia saw them get up to follow her out of the corner of her eye. She held Amelia back far enough for them to be out of Six's hearing.

"Let's make this quick, we're being tailed." She whispered.

Six opened the door to her office and Amelia followed her in while Zofia hung back for a bit to see if they were still behind them, which they were. She hurriedly entered the office before closing the door behind her.

Once she sat down, Six arranged a few papers on her desk before turning to face them. "Okay, you two, what the fuck happened?"

Amelia stayed quiet, allowing Zofia to tell the lie she had been practicing on the flight there. "I stayed back for a while to sort something out with the witness protection." She said "I got back to the others just as they got ambushed. None of them made it and I got a bullet in the stomach trying to get out. I managed to get to the plane and we took off just as we saw an armored escort approach the airstrip."

Six looked skeptical, but she didn't raise anymore questions. "Well then, I'm sorry for your loss." She said "When can you continue the operation."

Goddammit that's all this woman cares about. "The bullet wound was superficial, I just came back to report to you and stock up on gear." Zofia said "We can fly back to France as soon as we're done."

Six nodded. "Well I'm glad you're determined. Take what you need."

With that, Amelia and Zofia left her office, where thankfully Buck, IQ and Jager were nowhere to be seen. Amelia separated from her and went to the garage, wanting to be out of the base as soon as possible. Zofia went to the locker room where she was confronted by IQ. She grabbed her by the arm and cormered her to the wall.

"Where the fuck are they?" she demanded.

Zofia pushed her off. "Where do you think? Do you think I'd come here without them?"

"Bullshit. As if you'd let anything happen to your sister." IQ said "We know you're dirty, we have evidence."

Zofia garbbed IQ by the collar of her shirt. "Good. You better not hesitate to use it, because if I'm really what you say I am, I won't."

Zofia gave her a shove and walked away. Once she was out of earshot, IQ spoke to Buck and Jager, who were outside Six's office. "She's gone."

Buck andd Jager barged in Six office, who paid them no attention, holding a finger up to indicate that she was still on the phone. Buck pressed a finger on the reciver and cut the call short. He held a flashdrive in front of Six. "Zofia's dirty. The others were captured with her help. She was the one behind the attack a month ago and we have video evidence of her conspiring with white masks on countless occasions." Buck said, but Six seemed to not care. He slammed his fist on her table. "Did you hear anything I said? If she's dirty, who knows who else is?"

Six lifted Buck's finger from the button on the phone. "I know she's dirty." She said calmly "And since you pressed the button for the intercom and not the phone, everyone in the outpost now knows too."

Buck's announcment quickly spread through the outpost, including the mess hall where it was the most crowded. Valkyrie, who was eating at the time, saw Zofia on her way to the garage, trying to get out befire it was too late. She got up to chase her, who took off when she got too close. Valkyrie, ran after her, her phyical nature helping her close the distance in a matter of seconds. She raised a hand to grab her on the shoulder when she felt something pierce her gut. She looked down and there was a knife sticking out of her, the hand of a recruit still wielding it.

"I don't think so bitch." The recruit said.

She pulled the knife out of Valkyrie and took off with Zofia, leaving her lying in a pool of her own blood.

/

The room was silent as everyone waited for Sledge's wrist watch to count down the minutes to midnight. Near the door were Castle and Twitch, who was starting to get annoyed br the former's questions. "Are you sure this is safe Emmanuelle?" he asked.

"Miles, I'm ripping out the wires of an active electronic door through a hole on the other side while we're behind enemy lines. Nothing about this is safe."

"You know what I mean." He said flatly.

"Well there are only two possibilities. I can either unlock the door, or all the electricity from it will be sent to me." Twitch said "So I'm either right or it's not my problem anymore. You might want to back up a bit."

Castle took a few steps back and Twitch looked at Sledge, waiting for him to give her a signal. Midnight hit and she ripped all the wires from the panel. None of them were sure what happened, but Twitch was still alive, so she gave the door a slight push and when it moved without any resistance, she shoved it all the way open, and Rook and Ela went out first, holding their makeshift bedframe shield.

The others went out after them, just as the guards realized what was happening. They pulled their handguns out and opened fire only to see none of the bullets went through Rook's bedframe shield. When the dust settled and their guns were empty, Rook and Ela lifted the shield up and charged at them, pinning the guards against the wall where the others beat them to death with their makeshift weaponry.

Rook chuckled as he tossed on of the guns to Twitch. "Just like Monty used to do."

They dropped the shield and ran to the garage, just realizing that they had no way to open the garage door. Sledge took a step closer to find a way to open it, when they heard a hiss, before the hydraulics opened the garage door for them. Unfortunately, behind it were Zofia and Amelia, who was holding a key card of her own.

She looked at the shield Rook made, which was sitting at the end of the hall. "Barely a dent. Nice work."

Rook found it hard to glare at her. He knew it was the white mask from the attack on the outpost based from her voice, but he'd never really seen her without a mask. Dirty blonde hair tied in a ponytail and freckles plastered on her face which only brought out her light blue eyes. If she wasn't as crooked as scoliosis, she'd actually be beautiful.

More guards caught up to them and surrounded them, ordering them to drop their weapons and get on their knees. They did as they were told and Amelia had them line up. She paced in front of them stopping in front of each of them.

"I should kill one of you for the trouble you caused," she said "but I won't. There's no fun in it and it's not enough." She looked over them one more time before pointing to Ela. "You, stand up."

Zofia stepped forward and grabbed Amelia's arm. "Don't even think about it."

Amelia yanked her arm back. "Relax will you? If I wanted to kill your sister she'd already be dead." She said before turning to Ela. "I said get up and come over here."

Ela sheepishly complied and walked up to her. Amelia pulled out her pistol and gave it to Ela. She turned to the guards and ordered them to shoot Ela if the gun went anywhere near her before turning back to Ela. "I won't kill any of you." She said "Because you will."

Ela stared at the gun. "What?"

"You heard me." Amelia said "Kill one, and I promise I'll let the rest of you go."

Ela's hands were shaking, gun still pointed at the ground. Amelia came at her from behind and raised Ela's arms so that it was at head level with the others. "Just one, Ela and your free."

"No."

Amelia snatched the gun from Ela and shoved her back to the others. "It's a shame. I thought you would do anything to get out. I can see it in you." She said "Take them back to the holding cells."

The guards wrestled them back up and began to drag them back when Amelia told them to stop.

"Wait." She said "I changed my mind. I will kill one of you."

She raised her gun at them and fired.


	18. Chapter 18

Everybody watched as Sledge's lifeless body fell to the ground, too shocked to move. At least until Twitch pushed past the guards with her fist cocked back, striking Amelia across the face. She doubled over, hand clutching her face slowly backing away from Twitch, who just got surrounded by guards.

"Don't!" Amelia yelled "Stand down, that's an order." She spat out some blood before swinging her arm in a wide arc, hitting Twitch hard enough to send her to the ground. Amelia walked over to Sledge's corpse and picked up his makeshift hammer. She walked over to Twitch and kicked her at the side so that she was now laid on her back. "You're a hard hitter." Amelia stepped on Twitch's fist. "I hope you can hit as hard with your left arm."

She raised the hammer above her head and brought it down on Twitch's arm. The others could only watch as Twitch's screams of agony barely covered up the sound of her bones snapping in half. She raised the hammer a second time, breaking Twitch's arm even further as the others yelled at her to stop. She ignored them and continued, only stopping after Twitch had screamed herself hoarse and when she was already covered in Twitch's blood.

She tossed the hammer aside and got off Twitch, who was whimpering on the ground. "Take her to the medbay." Amelia said "And take these fucks to solitary. The same cells as Bosak's family." She left, leaving the others to be dragged out by the guards, but not before they saw them lift Sledge's body and Twitch without even trying to be gentle.

So close and yet so fucking far.

/

Buck, IQ and Jager stood in Six's office, waiting for her response to the videos they brought in. Eventually, she finished, shut her laptop and faced the three of them with a stern face. "Do you know how many rules you broke getting this footage?"

"Really?" IQ asked, sick of Six's shit "The director of operations is dirty and that's all you care about?"

"Weiss please, I know everything that goes on around here. I know about your group's little alcohol bussiness, do you really think I'd miss something as big as Bosak being corrupt?"

"So all this time, you've known?" Jager asked.

"Why do you think I recruited her?" Six asked "The higher her position, the more the white masks will ask from her, the more chances she'll get caught."

"Are you fucking shitting me?!" Buck slammed his fist on her desk, too enraged to be bothered acting accordingly in front of his superior "All this time you've known and you didn't do anything?! You could have stopped the attack on base. You could have stopped her from going to France. If you had arrested her instead of sitting on your ass all this time you could have saved us all this trouble."

Six remained calm, despite the three pissed off operators in front of her. "Arresting her immediately would not have done us any good. The minute I slap the cuffs on her, our only lead to the white masks is gone."

"So you let all this happen just for that?" IQ asked, shocked by how far Six was willing to go to get what she wants "You let Pereira die, you let all those operators from the attack die, you almost let me and Tina die, all so you could keep a lead on the white masks?"

"It was the most efficient way to catch them."

"No it's not." IQ said, tears in her eyes. "There are more efficient ways. Ways that don't need you to sacrifice your own fucking people!"

"There will always be casualties in war." Six said "It's up to us to choose who those people are."

"So that's it? That's all we are to you?" Jager asked "Are we all just fucking cannonfodder?"

Six didn't answer, which was way worse than if she had said yes. "Wow." Jager said "You may think you're fighting for good here, but you're no different from the ones you're making us kill."

The three of them left the office, now knowing their boss was just another asshole who values themselves and what they want over everyone else. They passed the rec room where they got all kinds of looks from the people. The look of wether or not to trust them. The three of them didn't take it personally, that was the look everyone gave everyone recently, ever since Buck accidentally told everyone Zofia was dirty. Now no one knows who to trust anymore.

"That bitch." IQ said "She may be willing to let them die, but I'm not."

"My pilot's suspension just ended." Jager said "I'm ready to get another one after we get them back."

They went to the med bay, where Capitao was just getting released. He nodded a thank you to them before leaving. They went to the room where Valkyrie was confined, knocked on the door and entered.

"Hey Castellano." Buck greeted her "How's the stomach?"

"Very bad actually." She said "I was stabbed with a gut knife. You know, the ones that do more damage on the way out. Not the standard issue Team Rainbow knife."

"That's because the woman that stabbed you wasn't Team Rainbow." IQ said "Listen, the others got caught and Six is doing next to nothing. We're going after them and we need one of your black eyes."

"You're going out again?" Valkyrie asked "There's just three of you. I'm coming." Valkyrie tried to sit up and winced.

"No you're not, Castellano." Buck said "You're too hurt."

"It's too dangerous. There were a lot of us last time and we still had a hard time."

"That's why I'm coming with them."

Hibana emerged from the bathroom in Valkyrie's room, surprising everyone including Valkyrie, who apparently forgot to tell them that she was with her.

"We can't ask you to do that Yumiko, it's too d-"

"Too what? Dangerous?" Hibana cut Buck off "I sleep with a gun under my pillow in case a dirty operator tries to kill me in my sleep. It's way more dangerous in here, out there at least I know who I'm fighting."

"Are you sure?" IQ asked.

Hibana walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll wait in the hangar."

She left, and soon the three of them left as well. They grabbed a black eye from the workshop and ran into Alibi on the way to the hangar. "Hey Sebastien." She called out.

Really? Neither of them said a word to each other since they woke up in bed together and out of all the times she could have spoken to him she chooses to do so now? Buck tried to turn away but she was already too close to him. "Can I help you, I'm kind of in the middle of something."

"I know you're sneaking out." She said "Don't ask how, but I do and I'm coming with you."

"What? Why?"

Alibi shrugged. "I figured I'd make up for stabbing your friend."

"I'm sure you've more than made it up to him already." Jager said before immediately realizing IQ was with them. Thankfully since she still thinks those two still hate each other, she disregarde the comment Unfortunately Buck and Alibi didn't and he got two elbows to the gut once IQ turned around.

The four of them walked to the hangar, where Six was waiting for them at Jager's plane. Next to her was Hibana, looking like a child whose hand just got caught in the cookie jar. "Going somewhere?" Six asked.

"You're damn right we are." IQ declared. "We're going back for the people you left to die."

"Good." Six said "Took you long enough. Your guns are already inside." She got inside the cockpit and the others just looked at her. "What the hell are you waiting for?"

The four of them reluctantly got in and after an order from Six to the guard, they were back in the air. In the cockpit were both Six and Jager, with the latter still unsure of what to think about why the woman sitting next to him had a sudden change of heart.

"So what brought you here?" he asked "I thought you didn't give two shits about us."

"I had to say that." Six said "I couldn't just order you to go after them out in the open. Zofia has access to my office and I'm not sure if she had planted anything. I knew you were going after them anyway so I just waited in you plane."

"That still doesn't change the fact that you let all those operators die." Jager said "You may have staged all that but that doesn't mean you didn't mean it."

Six didn't answer and the two of them continued to fly in silence.

/

Rook and Ela had bags placed on their heads and dragged by the arms to god knows where. They were thrown inside a room where their hands were finally free to remove the bags on their heads. The two of them squinted as their eyes were suddenly exposed the bright white light of the room they were in after being in the dark for so long.

Their eyes adjusted just as the door of the six inches of bullet proof glass was locked shut and the white masks that brought them there were already leaving the room. Ela got up and banged on the glass, yelling at the white masks to let them out, only to get ignored when they shut the door on her.

Behind her was Rook, who sat down on the bed as he began to break down. "Jesus christ they killed Seamus." He said "This is my fault. This is all my fault."

"Julien-"

"No Ela." He cut her off "I was the only one who was supposed come here. You guys wouldn't be here if I hadn't forced Zofia to take you guys along."

Ela slapped him across the face before putting her hands on his shoulders. "Listen to me Julien. Do you remember what you kept telling me? This is no more your fault than Pereira's death isn't mine."

"It doesn't matter. We're still locked up here because of me."

Ela's hands moved from his shoulders up to his face. She pulled him in for a kiss, and although she just meant for it to just be quick one, for some reason she didn't pull away until Rook pushed her off. "What are you doing?"

"I may not be able to get us out," she said "but I can make you forget we're here."

She continued to kiss him, making her way down until her head was between his legs. She slopily undid his belt and pulled his pants down. She did the same with his underwear and didn't bother to look at his length before putting it in her mouth. Rook gasped and she felt him grow inside her mouth as she bobbed her head up and down. She began to remove her clothes as she sucked him off and began to finger herself once she was completely naked.

After a while like this, Rook grunted and came in her mouth, filling it completely and Ela looked him in the eyes as she swallowed it all. He took off the rest of his clothes and lifted Ela and laid her on the bed. He spread her legs and inserted two fingers inside of her. Ela bit her lip as his fingers worked their magic and completely lost control when Rook inserted a third finger, moaning his name as he continued to work his fingers inside her. Once he felt her walls tighten around his fingers, he pulled them out and replaced them with his length, the feeling of him inside her enough to make Ela orgasm.

She pulled Julien closer so that her mouth was near his ear. "Go ahead." She said. Rook began thrusting into her, speeding up once he was comfortable with her. Ela began to moan again, as his length brushed against her clit with each entry. She began to pant his name. "H-harder."

Rook grabbed her legs and folded them into her chest. He pulled out before shoving his entire length into her in one thrust. Ela was yelling by now, all her shame going out the window as she begged Julien to keep on pounding into her. They were both close and after one last powerful thrust, they were both sent over the edge, Julien pulling out just in time to cover Ela's stomach, who was to busy enjoying her own orgasm to notice.

Once they both came down from their sexual high, Ela cleaned herself up with her hands and licked Rook's fluids of her fingers. "Did you have to do that?" Ela asked "Now I'm all sticky."

"Would you rather be pregnant?"

Ela chuckled. "I suppose not. Thank you for that Julien, it was worth the thirty two years."

Rook gave her a kiss and laid down next to her, spooning her until the both fell asleep.

…

The two of them woke up to the sound of gunfire as someone took out all the white masks in the hall. Rook got up and walked to the wall of glass just as Mira bust through the door. She saw Rook through the glass and looked away. "Woah Julien, put some pants on!"

Rook felt his face heat up when he realized he was still naked. "Elena? What the hell is going on?"

"The others came back for us." Mira said, still covering her eyes "Six came with them so put something on before she sees you two."

Rook tossed Ela her clothes from the floor and put on his own while Mira swiped the key card from the guard outside on the keypad and the door on the glass wall opened. Rook and Ela stepped out and both of them gave her a hug, and she pushed them off.

"Please don't touch me." She said "Lord knows where those fingers have been."

The three of them exited the room, where the others were waiting for them in the hall. Well, most of them anyway. "Where's Miles and Jordan?"

"They went back for Pichon." Ash said "They'll meet us in the hangar. Come on, Marius is already at the plane."

They ran through the base and on the way there Six stopped in front of them. "What's wrong?" IQ asked. Six pointed to an office, and inside it was Zofia.

"We can come back for her later. We already have the others." IQ said.

"No." Six replied "We go for her now." She bolted for the office with her gun out and Ela followed.

"Goddammit." Rook said "Get to the plane. We'll meet you there." He went after them as well, making it to the office just as Six broke through the door.

"On the ground now!" she yelled at Zofia, who complied once she saw Ela with them. Six cuffed her just as more guards showed up. Rook slammed the door shut and dove to the side just as it was ripped apart by bullets. He grabbed Zofia's rifle by the table and fired at the white masks who kicked the door open.

The four of them got out of the office and ran to the hangar where Six yelled at Jager to ready the plane and he yelled back that Castle, Thermite and Twitch weren't there yet.

"Leave them!" Six yelled "We have to go."

"No!" Jager said "We left Pereira and Souza, we are not leaving them too."

"If we don't leave now we don't leave at all."

"Then I guess we're not leaving."

Six put her gun to Jager's head. "Get this thing in the air or I will shoot you and do it myself."

Just as Jager taxied the plane, the others ran into the hangar, Castle carrying Twitch bridal style while Thermite fired at the white masks chasing after them. They entered the plane and Jager took off, turning the white masks into nothing but dots in the distance as they flew away.


	19. Chapter 19

Jager's plane touched down on thhe tarmac of Team Rainbow's base and they all went down, including Six, who was hurrying to get Zofia to the interoggation room. Buck stopped her. "What the fuck was that Six?" he yelled "Putting a gun to Marius's head, wanting to leave the others behind."

"They still came back with us didn't they?"

"Sure they did." Buck said "But what if they got to the hangar a few minutes later?"

"We already had Zofia." Six said "If we had waited any longer none of us would have gotten out and that is a mistake I am not willing to make."

"Well I know I made a mistake." Buck said "I actually thought you gave a shit about us. I actually thought you were a good person."

"That's enough!" Six yelled at him "I am still your superior and I demand you treat me with respect."

Buck snarled. "I would say you lost my respect, but you never really had it."

"I'll take note of that Cotè." Six said, before ushering Zofia out of the hangar and to the interoggation rooms, the two of them being followed by Ela. He looked at his wrist watch. It was only eight in the evening but he was so exhausted at that point that going to bed this early didn't sound so bad. He walked over to the dorms, helping Castle and Rook bring Twitch to the infirmary on the way. He stood outside his room and just as he unlocked it, Alibi called out to him from the end of the hallway.

"Hey Sebastien, you have a minute?"

Buck sighed. For someone who didn't acknowledge his existence after their one night stand, she was feeling awfully talkative today. "Yes I do." He said, although he wasn't really sure why "What do you need."

"Remember that case we were working on?" Alibi asked "I need your help finishing it."

Buck sighed again. "Fine."

"Thanks." Alibi grabbed his arm and pulled him along as they walked to her room. Her grip on his arm felt weird, it was almost as if she was feeling his bicep. Wow he really was exhausted. They finally reached her room and she opened the door, revealing the files scattered all over her study table. She turned on her lamp and brought light to the table. In the middle was a mugshot of a white mask. Alibi picked it up and showed it to Buck.

"What am I looking at?"

"What you're looking at," Alibi said "is a double agent. He was sent undercover to infiltrate the white masks and he went too deep. He got caught. One day his group was approached by someone from the law firm we were investigating, said he can get them out for the right price. They agreed and now he is willing to testify against them in exchange to finally come back to his precinct."

"So that's it?" Buck asked "We're done right?"

Alibi nodded and he turned to leave. "Where do you think you're going?"

Buck was halfway out the door when she stopped him. "What do you mean? You said we were done."

"Oh come on Sebastien," Alibi said "with everything that's going on, I think we both could use a little stress relief, besides all that adrenaline has to get out somehow. Do you really think I called you here to work on a case?"

Buck looked out the door then looked at Alibi. "Fuck it." He said before he walked toward her, furiously making out with her as he carried her to the bed.

/

Zofia squinted as Six shone the overhead light on her face. "Enough bullshit Bosak." She said "When are they coming?"

"For the last time," Zofia said "I don't know. I was supposed to be updated today. If you let me go I can tell you once they do."

Six grabbed Zofia by the shirt. "Listen to me. I don't know what they have on you and I don't care. You are a criminal now and when all this is over I would love to lock you up in a dark box so small your face will be kissing your toes, but I'm occupied at the moment so for once in your fucking life, be useful."

Zofia didn't falter. She stared Six directly in the eye. "They have my family." She said "They still do and I will kill anyone to get them back, including you."

"They know we caught you." Six said "It won't be long until they see you as a liability. They'll cut you loose and once they do your family will no longer be of use to them. You know what they'll do after that."

"I won't let that happen."

"I know you won't." Six said "So help us."

From behind the room, Ela walked up to the table and took over. "Please don't make this hard Zofia. Help us and we can help get your family back."

"Like Six helped Pereira?" Zofia asked "She wouldn't let me send a strike team for two of her own operators, do you really think she'd let me send one for two strangers?"

"Enough!" Six yelled, trying to stop the conversation "Tell us something useful before I shove your ass in the trunk of a car and throw it inside a compactor."

Zofia scoffed. "You won't do that."

Six took her badge off and threw it across the room. "This is all of the books." She said "Try me."

Zofia stared at her for a while, weighing her options in her head. "Inside my pocket." She said "There's a flash drive with all the other vacant white mask bases off the grid."

"I asked for useful information Bosak."

"That is useful dumbass." Zofia said "Think about it. You broke into their base. Do you really think they'd stay there any longer now that they know the place is compromised?"

Six reached into Zofia's pocket and grabbed said flash drive. "Fine." She said before turning to Ela "Get her out of here."

Ela walked to Zofia and unlocked the chain holding her to the table and immediately put her in handcuffs. She pulled her up and walked her out the room, down the hall to the holding cells.

"Ela please." Zofia pleaded "Let me go, I have to help my family."

"Don't make this any harder. Six told me we'll go back for them once we track them to their next base."

"Do you really believe her bullshit?"

Ela stayed quiet, Zofia had a point. She didn't believe it, but it was either take Six's word for it or let her sister go, which were both bad choices.

"Answer me Elzbieta!" Zofia yelled, turning around to face her.

Just as Ela was about to say something, a recruit walked by and she called for him. "Hey you," she said "can you take her to a holding cell? I have to take care of something, I'll come take over when I'm done."

The recruit nodded and ushered Zofia down the hallway while she yelled at Ela.

"You just killed them Ela!" she yelled "Their blood is on your hands!"

Once she was out of earshot, Ela went to the communal showers and looked at her face in the mirror. She didn't realize there were now tears in her eyes. She turned the sink on and washed her face. She looked back at the mirror and saw nothing but guilt in her reflection. Tonight's going to be a long night.

/

Buck and Alibi laid next to each other, both of them panting, covered in sweat and each other's fluids. "Not bad Sebastien." Alibi said "Not bad at all."

"Thanks." Buck said as he picked his clothes up from the floor and began to get dressed.

Alibi stretched and rolled to her side to watch. "Same time tomorrow?"

Buck turned to face her. "You can't be serious."

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

"Fine." Buck said "But we're doing it in my room."

"Whatever you say."

/

After clearing her head, Ela made her way to the holding cells, thanking the recruit before taking over. She looked through the grates of the door where she saw Zofia curled up and asleep on the bed. She sat against the wall and sighed. She got her phone out and scrolled through the contacts. When she found the one she was looking for she called it, glancing back at Zofia to make sure she was asleep as the dialtone rang.

"Hello?" Rook's raspy voice responded from the other end.

"Julien, I need your help can we talk?"

"Ela?" Rook asked "It's midnight why are you still up?"

"Six made me watch over Zofia, I'm by the holding cells." Ela said "Please just come here."

Ela heard him sigh and tell Mira he'll be out for a while. "I'm on my way."

She thanked him and hung up. She put the phone back in her pocket and looked at the set of keys in her hand. She couldn't help but think back to what Zofia yelled at her as she was being dragged away. Her grip on the keys tightened. No matter what Rook said, what anyone said, Caveira's blood was on her hands, and now the blood of two more will be joining hers. Not this time. She stood up and walked to the door, inserting the keys on the lock.

"Just what in the bloody hell are you doing?"

Ela yanked the keys out in a panic and fumbled to get them back in her pocket. Not that it made a difference, Thatcher already saw her. "I asked you a question." He said.

"Mike, I was just-"

"You were just about to lock that door and throw the keys away, right?"

"Uh, yeah sure." Ela said, ashamed of the fact that she would've let Zofia go if Thatcher hadn't caught her. "What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to change the topic.

Thatcher's face turned sad. "I was going to get Seamus' things from the locker rooms. His wife was asking for them."

"Oh Mike, I'm sorry."

"I know." Thatcher said "Just promise me we'll catch who did this to him."

Ela nodded and Thatcher went off, greeting Rook who was on his way to Ela.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Ela motioned for him to peek through the door. He looked through and saw Zofia, who was still asleep.

"Her family's in danger." Ela said "The minute the white masks cut her off they're both dead."

"So what do you want to do?"

"That's why I called you." Ela said "I can't let her go but I can't let them die either."

"It's up to Six then, although that isn't saying much."

"Zofia cut a deal with her. A strike team fir her family in exchange for information that Six has been asking for."

Rook peeked through the grates again. "Well for their sake, I hope Six keeps her word."

/

A few days later, Twitch woke up in her room. She should have still been in the infirmary if it wasn't for the fact that her arm was basically made of metal plates from an accident years ago. Just a quick replacement, an overnight's worth of Doc's magic hands and a shitload of painkillers and she was good to go. Or at least good enough to demand not to be kept in the infirmary.

She rolled over and saw that Castle was no longer in the room. It was a shame too, she was looking forward to showing that non-believer just how fine she felt. No matter, there's always lights out. She got up and as soon as she did, she felt a rumble in her stomach which quickly made its way up until she was wretching her guts out in the trashcan. She has been throwing up in the morning since they got back, but she paid no attention to it, it was probably just a side effect of the drugs. Probably.

She made her way to the mess hall for breakfast were the smell of the food that she'd normally wouldn't touch with a hundred foot pole suddenly seemed appealing. She grabbed a plate full of it and got weird looks from Doc, Finka and Tachanka once she sat down.

"What? I felt like eating it today."

After breakfast she went to the workshop to make more drones, running into Mira, who was also there. They greeted each other and Twitch went to work. Halfway through the first drone, she smelled something that almost made her gag. She looked over to Mira, who was lighting a cigarette.

"Elena could you not do that here?" Twitch asked.

"You've never had a problem wih it before."

"Yeah well I'm starting to." Twitch said "Please, just get rid of it."

Mira rolled her eyes, took the cigarette out of her mouth and crushed it under her foot, which just made it smell worse. For some reason, this made Twitch snap.

"Oh my god Elena!" Twitch yelled "If you're just going to do shit like that get out of the workshop. Some of us are trying to work here."

"Woah, you need to chill Pichon." Mira said "Get laid or something."

"You know a lot about that don't you?" Twitch continued "Seeing as how your whole sex life is stashed under your bed."

"Why does everybody say that?" Mira asked, matching Twitch's frustration.

"Probably because it's true you forty year old virgin."

Mira threw her hands up. "I'm not a-, you know what, I don't know what your problem is but I want nothing to do with it. You want the workshop to yourself, take it."

Mira stormed out of the room, both of them steaming from anger. Once Twict had finishedmaking her drone, she finally calmed down and realized that Mira didn't deserve any of that. Maybe later she'll apologize.

Later that night, Twitch went to the bathroom to clean up before going to bed. She turned to flush the toilet and was surprised by how clear the water was. She should have had it by now. Something in her mind clicked and her heart raced. The morning sickness, the weird cravings, the mood swings at Mira and the fact that she was late, it all made sense now.

She went to Mira's room, where thankfully Rook wasn't there yet. She knocked on the door. Mira opened it a bit before closing it again one she saw Twitch.

"Elena please." Twitch said "I need your help."

Although it took a while, Mira did open the door. "What do you want."

"I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. I haven't been myself lately."

Mira crossed her arms. "Yeah I can tell. What do you want?"

"I know you're making a run tonight." Twitch said "I need you to get something for me."

…

Doc sat at his desk, working even though the last of the medical staff had been long gone by now. He finished his paperwork and was just about to leave when Twitch walked in the infirmary.

"Ah Pichon," Doc said "What can I do for you?"

Twitch didn't answer. She kept her head down as she walked to Doc and gave him a paper bag. Doc took it and reached his hand inside, fishing through its contents. He grabbed whatever was in it and pulled it out.

It was a pregnancy test.

And it was positive.


	20. Chapter 20

"This has to be a mistake." Doc said in disbelief "It has to be Pichon. False pregnancies can be possible."

Twitch guiltily shook her head. "It's not a mistake Doc. Back in Tours, before we got caught, Miles and I…"

"Jesus christ Pichon." Doc said "How could you be so careless?"

Twitch didn't say anything. Doc looked at the pregnancy test then back to Twitch. He stayed quiet for a while befora asking Twitch a question she didn't want to answer.

"Does he know?"

Twitch shook her head, much to Doc's dismay. "This just keeps getting worse." He said "If Six finds out about this, you're both dead."

Twitch looked at Doc for the first time since she got there. "I know. That's why I came to you first."

Doc blinked. "If you're saying what I think you're saying I won't do it. You know I'm a humanitarian."

"That's not what I'm saying, of course I'm keeping it Gustave, I just need something to hide it until this is all over."

"I can give you something for the morning sickness but that's it. What your asking for does not exist yet."

"It's good enough." Twitch said.

Doc took a bottle from the drawer of his desk and gave it to her. "Oh and Pichon," he said "tell Campbell. Before its too late."

Twitch nodded and left the infirmary.

/

A white mask stood outside Amelia's office, nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he clutched a ringing device. When he finally built up the nerve, he knocked twice on the door.

"What?" he heard Amelia yell from inside the room.

The white mask opened the door and showed her the device. "Video call from the boss ma'am."

"Ah shit." Amelia grumbled, telling the white mask to wait so she can make herself presentable. Or at least as presentable as she can get. She put her feet down from the table and zipped up her jacket. She shut the screen of her laptop and hid her alcohol under the table. After tying her hair in a ponytail, she nodded to the white mask who then plugged the device into the flat screen on the wall. The TV came to life and Amelia was greeted with a dark silhouette and an audio masked voice. She scowled, if the head wasn't even going to show his face what was the point of the video call?

"Progress report Fischer."

"Wow, not even a hello?" Amelia asked.

"I would greet you," the head said "but I'm not going to give you the chance to stall. Progress report."

The man saw right through her. Amelia sighed. "The base is compromised. But I have some good news, they caught our mole."

"And how is that good news?"

"We gave her outdated intel." Amelia said "Intel that she'll surely trade for help getting her family back. She'll be leading Six into some bullshit goose chase that will get them far from base. Once they're gone we can just take the outpost."

"I'm listening."

"At the moment we're just waiting. We'll gear up soon, I'll update you when we have the outpost."

"Negative." The head said "It's too early, we have no way of knowing if she gave that information away. If we go in half-cocked and they're ready for us we will lose."

"I've seen her, sir." Amelia said "She will do anything if she thinks it will help her family. I know she'll give away that intel. We should attack know when we still have the chance."

"No. It's too risky. Hold off on attacking the outpost, that's an order."

The TV switched off before Amelia could get another word out. She slammed her fist on the table in anger. She already had a plan and the head threw a huge wrench in it by ordering her to wait. Then shee remebered he also ordered her to take the outpost from Team Rainbow by any means necessary, including disobeying a direct order. She turned to the white mask in the room.

"Get a strike team ready." She ordered "Tell them to be at the hangar in an hour."

"But ma'am-"

"Did I stutter?" Amelia asked, raising her voice.

"Uh, n-no ma'am. Right away ma'am."

The white mask scampered out of the room leaving Amelia by herself. She got up and stared at the now blank flat screen.

"You want me to get the outpost? I'll get you the outpost."

/

Hibana went to the medbay as soon as they got back to check on Valkyrie. She entered her room just as she woke up and a grin plastered itself on her face once she saw her come in.

"Yumiko, thank god you got back safely."

Hibana smiled and gave her a hug. "Was there ever any doubt?"

"Well I used to doubt that I'd never get hurt inside the base." Valkyrie said " Look at me now."

"Oh please, it's just a flesh wound."

"Oh really?" Valkyrie asked, ready to banter "Let me stab you then. Let's see if you can walk that off."

Hibana closed the distance so now her face was directly in front of Valkyrie's. "I'd like to see you try."

Valkyrie had to restrain herself from giving her a kiss. Hibana was clearly gay but wether or not she was gay for her was a totally different story. Thankfully she decided to back off before Valkyrie was able to decide on what she was goint to do. Knowing herself, she knew that if they stayed like that a little longer she would have gone for it, which would only push Hibana away if she didn't feel the same.

"So did you find him yet?" Hibana asked, snapping Valkyrie out of her thoughts "Or is it even a him?"

"What?"

"That special someone else." Hibana said "The one we talked about while you were wallowing in self pity."

"Oh now I remember." Valkyrie said "The one we talked about while you watched me shower. Perv."

"Oh please, as if you didn't enjoy the attention."

Valkyrie scoffed. "You're delusional."

"And you're changing the topic." Hibana said "Answer my question, Meghan."

"Well I haven't been looking for them yet."

Hibana locked the door before stepping closer to the bed, leaning over Valkytie. "It doesn't matter. She already found you."

Valkyrie just stared at her. "How are you sure it's a she."

Hibana gave her a peck on the lips. "Need I say more?"

"No, that was enough." Valkyrie grabbed her and pulled her in for another kiss. They made out, hard, with Hibana's tongue exploring the insides of Valkyrie's mouth. Her hands began to explore when Valkyrie stopped her.

"Be gentle, my wound still hurts."

"Don't worry," Hibana said "my hands aren't going anywhere near your stomach." Her hands trailed downward, going under the blanket and up her hospital gown. "Commando? Someone was clearly expecting this."

A moan escaped Valkyrie's mouth when she felt Hibana's fingers enter her. Hibana stiffled it with a kiss. "Gustave's just outside this room, try to keep quiet." She said, although with the way she worked her fingers it was clear she wanted to hear her scream. Valkyrie bit her lip and held onto the bedsheets in an attempt to stop herself from yelling anything she'd regret, but Hibana was too good and once she was over the edge, she couldn't stop herself anymore.

"Oh god, Taina!"

Hibana pulled her fingers out and stared Valkyrie dead in the eyes. "What did you just say?"

"Yumiko-"

"Don't bother." Hibana said "I heard you." She picked up her jacket and went for the door.

"Yumiko, wait."

Hibana was halfway out the door when she turned back. "I get it if you're not yet over her, but I hope you don't just see me as a distraction."

She left and slammed the door behind her before Valkyrie could say another word.

/

Twitch walked back to her room, thinking of a way to break the news to Castle. She wasn't given much time to think when Castle opened the door just as she was about to reach for the door knob.

"Oh, Miles were you going somewhere?"

"Yeah, Six was asking for everyone who went to Tours go to the interrogation room, remember?" He said "She said it can help build a case against Zofia."

"Uh, yeah, it must have slipped my mind."

"Are you okay?" Castle asked "You look like you were about to tell me something."

"Yeah, it-it can wait. Let's go."

The two of them got to the interrogation room, where the others were watching Ela and Six interrogate Zofia through the double sided glass. Castle asked them what was happening.

"Six sent a srike team to all the locations Zofia gave her." Ash said "They were all empty and now she's pissed."

They all looked through the glass, where Six was leaning over the table, yelling at Zofia.

"I don't understand." Zofia said "What do you mean they're empty?"

"Empty as in empty Bosak!" Six yelled "You gave us bullshit intel we wasted our time and resources on."

"Why would you do that Zofia?" Ela asked "Why won't you just let us help you?"

"It wasn't supposed to be empty!" Zofia yelled back "I just gave you the same intel they gave me. It's not my fault."

Six's phone rang and she stepped back to the corner of the room. Zofia watched her nod and thanked the person on the other end of the phone before hanging up and put it back in her pocket. She walked back to the table.

"Time's up Bosak." Six said "That was one of Rainbow's administrators. He just gave me the green light."

"For what?" Zofia was starting to get worried "Green light for what?"

Six stared at her with a sadistic grin on her face. "Something I've wanted to do for a long time." She said "I'm out of options and your 'intel' just wasted time I did not have. We're bombing those fuckers straight to hell." Zofia shot up, kicking the chair backward and yanking the table with her cuffs. "You can't do that!"

"So you suddenly give a damn about them?"

"My family is still in there you asswipe!" Zofia said.

"They know you've been caught by now." Six said "Your husband, your daughter, they're loose ends now, they're as good as dead."

"You don't know that yet!"

"Do you?" Six asked "I am not wasting another oppurtunity trying to save two people who can't be saved."

Zofia tugged against her hand cuffs. "You can't do this Six."

"There will always be casualties in war-"

"Oh bullshit!" Zofia yelled "You say that to justify murder, how are you any different from them?"

Six grabbed her by the shirt and pulled her close to whisper in her ear. "They get arrested. I get a promotion."

Six faced the double sided mirror. "Someone drag her back to the holding cells." She exited the room, ignoring Zofia as she yelled after her. The others stood on the other side of the mirror, awkwardly watching everything unfold.

"So who's going to…"

Everyone but Twitch left the room before Castle could even finish his question. "Seriously?"

"Come on," Twitch said, also leaving the room "Zofia won't drag herself." They stepped into the hallway where Ela handed them Zofia, and they escorted her away.

"Oh, by the way Emmanuelle," Castle said "you were saying something?"

Twitch was surprised by the question. "Nope, none that I can remember." She stuttered and pushed Zofia ahead before Castle could raise anymore questions. She kept an iron grip on her arm, even though it wass clear Zofia had no intention of running. She was defeated.

"I was supposed to get caught, you know." She said "I planted wrong intelligence and when you're all out there chasing after the wind, they can just take this place. It would definitely have less causualties than bombing an entire fucking outpost."

Castle stepped ahead of them to unlock the cell. "Well for what it's worth, we really are sorry."

"You two are good people. Way better than Six will ever be." Zofia said "Which is why I'm sorry too."

In a flash, she grabbed Castle and threw him into the cell and closed the door behind him. She turned around and grabbed Twitch by the waist, lifted her up and slammed her onto the guards table, shattering the glasses placed on the tabletop.

As she bled on the floor, Zofia grabbed the keys from her belt as well as her pistol and took off. She ran out the room and into the hallway, shoving anyone who got in her way. No use being discrete now, everyone in the outpost knows about her by now. She just has to get out before-

"Calling attention to all able bodied operators, under no circumstances should you let Zofia Bosak out of the building." Six's voice rang through the PA system.

Shit. She really needed to get out of here. It's a straight shot to the garage if she cut through the rec room, but on the other hand, she has to cut through the rec room. Fuck it, she took the shortcut through the room where most of Team Rainbow's operators were at the moment.

She pushed through as fast as she can, most of the operators not realizing it was her until they were already on the ground. She got through anyway, and the garage was within her sight. Just a little further and…

IQ clotheslined her, sending her flying to the ground. She quickly got up and turned around, only to see Rook blocking her way.

"Don't test me I can and will take both of you at the same time."

Despite the situation, a grin threatened to appear on Rook's face.

"Really Nizan? God you are so childish."

"Hey!" IQ yelled "We fighting or not? I want to see how the GROM fight."

"And I want to see which sister screams louder."

Zofia completely lost it after that. She reached for Twitch's pistol and fired it at Rook.

As if his shit-eating grin wasn't big enough, it only grew more once the gun didn't fire. "Looks like someone forgot the weight of a loaded gun." Rook said "We're not supposed to keep our guns loaded inside the base anymore, they have to be kept separately on our holsters."

Zofia threw the gun at Rook and charged at him, dropkicking him before he could recover. She got up only to get sent back to the ground by a kick from IQ. She got up again, ready to brawl with her when Rook jumped her from behind, holding her still enough for IQ to sneak in a couple of hits.

Pissed, Zofia headbutted Rook and kicked IQ's legs out from under him then slammed Rook against the wall. She turned around and struck him in the throat, making him gasp for air.

"I am clearly more capable than you, what were you hoping to achieve here?"

"We weren't trying to stop you. We just needed to buy some time."

From behind her, Zofia could here the thudding of the footsteps of the whole outpost approach them. In a panic, Zofia grabbed IQ by the neck and lifted her up, grabbing her pistol and managing to load it with one hand and held it to his head just as the other operators got to them. They drew their weapons at her. She began to back away slowly.

"Stay back or you'll be scraping this bitch's brains off the wall."

Buck, who was in front of the crowd lowered his weapon, and slowly approached Zofia with his hands up. "Bosak, let's talk this through." He said "Drop the gun and we can help you."

Zofia shook her head. "It's too late for your help."

By now, Zofia had already backed up into the garage and held IQ at gunpoint as she ordered her to unlock the door and start the engine of one of the cars. IQ did as she was told and Zofia shoved her in the passenger seat.

"If I see anyone following us she's fucking dead!"

Zofia got in the car as well and they drove off.


	21. Chapter 21

Zofia drove in silence, neither her nor IQ making a sound, aside from the occasional metal on metal as Zofia shifted gears with a gun still in her hands. Despite her arm starting to get tired, she was not putting it down. Her foot was heavy on the gas pedal, trying to get back to her family as fast as she can while also making sure that IQ would definitely think twice before jumping out.

"Will you drop the gun already?" IQ asked.

"Not a chance Weiss."

"We're going a hundred kilometers per hour," IQ said " do you really think I'm dumb enough to attack the one driving?"

"I don't care, I'm not putting it down."

"Your arm has to be tired by now."

Zofia grumbled something under her breath before opening the glove compartment. She immediately grabbed the pistol stashed there and threw it at the back seat before IQ could even think of grabbing it and took the handcuffs inside. She threw it onto IQ's lap.

"Put those on and shut up."

IQ did as she was told and Zofia finally allowed her arm to rest. She shifted gears and floored the gas now that they entered the desert. They bounced up and down the dunes, a wroung turn threatening to turn the four by four over.

In the passenger, IQ was starting to get worried. "I know you want to get to your family in time but you can't help them if you die on the way."

"That's a better fate than getting there just in time to see their bodies get dumped."

IQ felt soory for them, by the way Zofia regards her family, its clear they've already been through enough. "Why didn't you come to us? Why didn't you ask for help?"

"Are you seriously asking me that?" Zofia said "You saw the way Six treats her operators. She'd kill all of you if that means she gets what she wants."

"I'm aware." IQ said quietly.

"I know you think I'm a bad person, you and your friends." Zofia said "And its true to some extent, but I assure you that Six is worse. I'm only doing this because I have to, she does what she does on purpose."

"So what happens now?" IQ asked "What happens to me when we get there?"

Zofia just stared at the road ahead. "I'm not going to lie to you Weiss, unless you prove yourself useful to them, they rarely take prisoners."

"What about your family?"

"The white masks just want the outpost, then they'll set them free."

"You actually believe them?" IQ asked.

"I don't have a choice." Zofia said.

IQ stayed silent.

"When I get them back, when my family is safe I'll help you take them down." Zofia continued "It will be easier to do it from the inside."

"That won't justify the things you already did."

"I'm not looking for justification, I'm looking for revenge."

/

Buck pulled the pin on one of his frag grenades. He held it in his hands, counting down in his head before throwing it as far as he could, where it exploded just as it hit the ground, most of the shrapnel embedding themselves inside the training dummy. He checked his watch, he never really cared about light's out, but being caught in the outdoor shooting range after hours was an offense hi did not want to commit, especially since Six wasn't to keen on him at the moment.

Fifteen minutes until lights out. Just a few more and he'll call it a night. Buck grabbed another grenade and repeated the process. He has been cooking grenades for as long as he can remember and yet he's still not satisfied. Still trying to get it as close as he can. "You're going to blow your fingers off, you know that right?" IQ had told him the first time she ever saw him do that. That didn't stop him from trying to convince her to do it anyway, stating how effective it was and yet she still chose to throw it as soon as the pin was off. In fact, he annoyed her so much to the point that she stopped using frags altogether.

Buck sighed. He couldn't stop thinking about how IQ got caught, and inside the base nonetheless. How he was powerless to help her. In a fit of rage, he grabbed his CAMRS and unloaded it into the dummy, firing shot after shot into its head, still pulling the trigger even after it was already empty.

"I think its dead, Sebastien."

Buck turned around and saw Alibi standing by the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you dumbass." Alibi said "I've been waiting for like, an hour."

"Aria we've been fucking every night since we got back, and we got back a week ago. I'm sure you can handle one night with just your hands. I'm not in the mood."

"You and Weiss were close huh?"

Buck took his beanie off and ran a hand through his unruly hair. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Well we're going to." Alibi said "If you're not using your tongue on me use it for her. Start talking."

"You just love acting bossy don't you?" Buck said "Almost like you don't beg every night."

Alibi sat on the table where Buck placed his munitions. "Not tonight. You're not in the mood, remember?"

Buck sighed, he leaned his CAMRS against the table and sat next to her. "I got tranferred before Tina and I knew no one here. She was the first friend I had here. My first operation was with her too, both of us were badly wounded and evac was too far. We had to drag each other back to where our squad was set up. Ever since then we were inseperable."

"I had a friend like that once." Alibi said "Back when we were G.I.S, he was so excited when Team Rainbow had personally asked for us. We were supposed to go on one last operation before we were going to be shipped off. As you can tell, he didn't make it. I would do anything to have him here with me."

Alibi looked up with a tear in her eye. "I miss you Adriano."

"Aria, I'm sorry."

Alibi got up and wiped her tears on her arm, facing away from Buck. "Whatever. Just-, just be in the mood tomorrow." She tried to leave before more tears could show up, but Buck grabbed her arm.

"You said we were going to talk remember?" he asked "I'm all ears."

Alibi finally broke down and gave Buck a hug, silently crying in his arms.

Breakfast the next day was quiet, none of them wanting to participate in their usual banter in light of the recent events. Once Rook finished his food, he's finally had enough of the silence. "Alright enough of this crap." He said "When are we going back for her?"

"We're not going to." Buck said, surprising everyone.

They all stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean we're not going to." He repeated "Six is paranoid. She ordered anyone sneaking out to be shot on sight."

"So you're letting that stop us?" Mira asked.

"Of course I am Elena!" Buck said, louder than he wanted to "You think I don't want Monika back here? We can't help her if we're dead."

"He's right." Jager said "I think we should sit this one out."

The others didn't say anything. Despite a few grumbles, they seemed to agree with Jager.

…

Buck stood at the outdoor shooting range, firing off a few shots from his CAMRS to make sure everything was in working order when he received a text. _All clear_ , it said. He slung his dmr over his shoulder and grabbed a few grenades before going back inside. He walked to the garage where Alibi was waiting for him by one of the cars.

"You ready?" she asked.

Buck nodded.

"Good. Let's just wait until lights out and we can-"

"You're a fucking hypocrite Sebastien."

Buck and Alibi were both shocked by Jager's voice. They thought about running but he was already approaching them.

"We're not going after her huh?" he asked.

"Marius, listen to me."

"No you listen to me Sebastien. I don't know what's gotten into you but its bullshit. And so were the things you told us."

"Six being paranoid was not a lie." Buck said "We'll still be shot on sight if we get caught. I just didn't tell you that Aria and I will still go after Monika."

"You still lied to us."

"I know, and I'm sorry. Just please don't say anything to the others while we're gone." Buck pleaded.

"Of course I won't tell the others." Jager said "That's because I'm coming with you."

"Marius-"

"I don't want to hear it. I'm coming with you, end of discussion."

"Fine." Alibi said "But we're driving there. If you're just going to sit your ass in a plane then don't even come."

Jager just rolled his eyes at her, which only irritated her more. She faced Buck. "I need to do something. Watch him, make sure he doesn't mess this up, I'll be back before lights out."

Alibi left and Buck and Jager entered the car to avoid getting spotted and it didn't take long for Jager to ask about her once the two of them were alone.

"So Sebastien," Jager said "what's up with you and De luca?"

"What are you talking about?" Buck asked, to which Jager raised his eyebrow to.

"You know what I'm talking about."

It took Buck a while before he understood. "That was one time Marius."

Jager scoffed. "Hey Marius do you mind staying in the rec room for a while, Aria and I have to, uh, do something." Jager said in a terrible impression of Buck. "Add that to your other bullshit excuses to why you've been coming to our room late. Or why you're always flustered when you come out of her room."

Buck scrunched up his face. Now that Jager mentioned it the two of them were pretty obvious. "Alright fine. What's your point?"

"My point is if I noticed it, chances are Monika did too."

"And is that a problem?"

Jager's jaw dropped. "Are you seriously that thick Sebastien?" he asked "Of course it's a problem, Monika clearly likes you, and hates De luca."

"Wait, she hates Aria? Why?"

"Well for one she stabbed Dominic." Jager said "Are you seriously going to blow over the fact that Monika likes you?"

Buck shrugged. "Well, I mean I've always kind of known."

"Then why didn't you say anything to her?!"

Buck sighed. "We're close to each other, you know? Like the way Julien is with Pichon, which is why I never made a move. If we do get together and I do something to fuck it up, I'd be throwing that friendship away. Sure we can still be friends afterwards but it just won't feel the same. I don't want that to happen. The reason Aria and I keep coming back to each other every night is because we started out hating each other. I mean, we've gotten closer to each other but even if I mess it up, I wouldn't lose as much with her as a would with Monika."

Jager didn't say anything. He couldn't. Thankfully the awkward silence was cut short when Alibi knocked on Jager's window, making him jump slightly.

"Hey, you guys ready? Its almost lights out." She said.

"Uh, yeah." Jager said, sliding into the backseat so Alibi can enter the car. The three of then sat in silence for the remaining time, both Buck and Jager pretending like their conversation a few minutes ago didn't happen.

Eventually, after what felt like a small eternity, the PA system finally announced it was time for everybody to go to bed and Buck started the engine. He waited until all but one of the guards left the garage before putting the car in gear. Once the guard's back was turned, he went for it, the roar of the engine revving echoed through the quiet garage. The guard turned around and yelled for them to stop but they were already past the gates.

Buck switched gears, trying to make the car go faster when the stick shift got stuck.

"What the-"

He felt the steering wheel lock up and the car began to slow down. He tried to force the stick shift but it wouldn't budge. He slammed his foot on the gas and the car completely stopped. From the rear view mirror, they could see the flashlights of multiple operators approach them. They approached the now stalled car and pointed their guns at them through the windows.

The three of them held their hands up and slowly got out the car where the other guards and operators forced them to the ground. While they were being cuffed Six approached them waving a remote-like device.

"Kill switch." She said "I had one installed on every vehicle in the outpost. Don't you just love technology?"

Jager grunted as he got forced back upwards. "So what happens when you sit on it by accident? Will my plane just fall out of the sky?"

"Its no longer 'your' plane Streicher. You're no longer a pilot." Six said "Get these three to my office."

Buck and Alibi sat on the bench outside of Six's office while they waited for their turn on the one on one with Six that Jager was unlucky enough to have gotten picked first for. The silence between the two of them was awkward enough and the tension only made it worse.

"I heard you and Streicher over the comms. I heard what you talked about." Alibi finally said.

Buck felt his mouth dry up. "Aria I didn't-"

"It's ok." Alibi cut him off "If I'm being honest that's also why I started this. When I was still G.I.S, we barely had any time for ourselves and the administrators were so strict with the no fraternization rule that they did everything short of making us wear chastity belts to make sure we didn't break that rule and I was just so frustrated, you know? Sexually frustrated, and when Adriano died I just, it made everything worse. I was a mess when I got here and I just needed sex. Pure, unadulterated, no strings attached sex, just so I can forget everything even if it was just for a night, and when I saw how drunk you were that night I just went for it and I'm glad I did because I, I really like you Sebastien, but…" Alibi hesitated "what are we?"

Buck looked at her but didn't say anything because the truth was, he had no idea. "What do you want us to be?"

Alibi stared at him and placed one of her cuffed hands on the side of his face. "I want us to be together."

Buck leaned in for a kiss and she gladly accepted and unlike the countless ones they had shared during the one week they were fuck-buddies, this one was genuine. The door to Six's office opened and two guards escorted Jager to the holding cells. Six called for Buck and he gulped, slowly getting up and walked to her office, looking back at Alibi one last time before the door shut.

/

Castle stumbled backwards into the cell as Zofia pushed him. He scrambled to get up only to have the cell door slammed in front of his face. He yelled for Twitch, who turned around just in time for Zofia to lift her up and slam her onto the table where he heard a mug break underneath her. Zofia took her gun and keys from her belt before taking off.

Castle looked over to Twitch, who was now lying on the floor, bleeding from a shard of glass sticking outt of her stomach. "Emmanuelle? Emmanuelle!" when she didn't answer, he tried to kick the door open, but it wouldn't budge.

He yelled for help at the camera, hoping anyone would come to Twitch's aid, but he knew in the back of his head that no one would come, not when everyone was trying to stop Zofia from getting out. Thankfully, Doc wasn't and he heard Castle. He broke into a run when he saw Twitch, asking Castle what happened when he got there. He explained as Doc unlocked the cell.

Castle helped Doc carry Twitch, who was now pale from the blood loss. Her voice was weak as she begged Doc to help her.

"Don't worry Emmanuelle, you'll be fine." Castle said.

The other medical staff took over for them once they walked into the medbay so Doc can prep for surgery. "Its not herself she's worried about." Doc whispered to himself.

…

Twitch woke up with an IV attached to her arm and a sharp pain in her stomach. On thechair next to the bed was Doc, who just noticed she was already awake. "Doc? Where's Miles?"

"He's arguing with Six, trying to talk her out off arresting Sebastien, Marius and Aria." Doc said "H-how are you feeling."

"Cut the shit Doc and give it to me straight."

Doc sat dow next to her and held her hand. "We did everything we could but, we couldn't save it. I'm sorry Pichon."

Twitch was speechless.

"I told the nurses not to mention anything. No one will ever know."

"I-, what do you mean you couldn't save it?" Twitch squeaked out.

"We did everything we could but, you just lost too much blood." Doc said, waiting a while to let the news sink in "Do you want me to call Campbell?"

"Not yet. Please, just give me some time."

Doc nodded and left the room, and Twitch finally allowed herself to cry.

Later that night, Twitch didn't sleep. The clock on the night stand said it was four in the morning. Not many people were awake at that time. No one to stop her. She pulled the needle of the IV out of her arm and walked out of the room to Doc's desk, where thankfully he wasn't there. She opened the bottom drawer where he stashes the alcohol he uses on special occasion as well as his magnum from the holster that hung on his chair.

She walked to the cafeteria and sat on the table they usually sat at. She took a huge swig from the bottle and opened the cylinder. She took out all but one of the rounds, gave it a spin and snapped it back in the revolver. She pointed it at her temple and pulled the trigger slowly, the sound of the hammer going back excruciating to her ears.

Click.

Empty. Only five more to go. She pulled the trigger again, hearing the cylinder spin. The hammer go back.

Click.

Still nothing. A drop fell to the table. Was she crying? It doesn't matter, it will all be over soon. She pulled the trigger again.

Click.

There were three cylinders left and one of them had a bullet in it. Twitch took another swig from the bottle before pulling the trigger again.

Click.

Still empty. Still fucking empty. Why can't she just die already? She was sobbing by now but she still pointed the gun at her head again. She knew she had already pushed her luck too much. She knew the next cylinder was loaded. She pulled the trigger and felt a hand push the gun away before the hammer could go all the way back. She felt the bullet whizz past her head.

"What the fuck Emmanuelle?"

She looked at the person who stopped her from ending her own life. It was Castle. Of course it was Castle. She broke down and hugged him tightly as she cried. "I lost it Miles." She sobbed "It's gone. I lost it."

"Lost what?"

"That night in Tours, when we…I'm pregnant Miles. At least I was until I got stabbed by a fucking mug. If I had told you earlier I wouldn't have needed to come with you down to the holding cells. Now its gone and its my fault. Our baby's gone Miles."

Twitch cried in Castle's arms as he tried to take in what he had just heard.

 **Author's notes:**

 **So yeah, Twitch lost her baby and she tried to blow her own head off. Please don't hate me, I already hate myself for writing this part but it would fuck the plot up if I didn't. I'm sorry if it pissed you off.**

 **Side note, did any of you see Albino Rook? That shit looks weird, I hope they don't actually add that.**

 **Thank you for the support and the reviews. It helps me improve the story**


	22. Chapter 22

Buck found himself involuntarily tapping his feet in unease as he sat on a bench in the Munich municipal court. He can't believe it. Six took it to court. She actually took it to fucking court. She worked fast too, only three days after they got caught and she already built a case against them. And that wasn't even what pissed Buck off.

He understood why Six would take any possible double agents to court, but they weren't double agents. Six knew Zofia took IQ with her and she knew damn well why he, Alibi and Jager were sneaking out, and yet she still filed them for treason.

Sitting next to him was Alibi, who placed a hand on his knee, snapping him outt of his thoughts. "Stop it, you're shaking the bench."

"Sorry." Buck said, standing up "I'm going to the restroom."

"You better hurry." Jager said "The judge is almost here."

Buck nodded and went for the restroom by the end of the hall.

He flushed the toilet and looked at the mirror. Small streaks of white began to sproute into his auburn beard and there were more wrinkles on his face now, and when paired with his eyebags he really did look tired. He may only be thirty-six but he already felt too old for this shit.

He washed his hands and went back, just in time too as he saw the judge enter along with Jager, Six and their attourney. Alibi stayed behibd when she saw him.

"We told you to hurry, what the hell took you so long?" she asked as he approached her.

After one look at him she shook her head. "No. You're not going in there looking like that."

Buck looked down and shrugged at her. "Looking like what?"

Alibi rolled her eyes. "God, let me do it."

She grabbed him by the belt and stuck her hand down the front of his pants to tuck his shirt in.

Buck looked around to see if anyone saw what they were doing. "What are you doing? Stop it."

"Oh come on Sebastien I've jerked you off more times than I can count and this bothers you?"

After his shirt was tucked in she fixed his neck tie and dusted his coat. Just when Buck thought she was done, Alibi reached for his head and grabbed his beanie. One glance at his unruly hair and she sighed at him. She licked her thumb and tried to straighten his hair as best she could.

"There. You actually look presentable."

"Thanks." Buck grumbled and turned to the courtroom.

"Oh Sebastien, one more thing."

Buck turned around and Alibi surprised him with a kiss. "For good luck."

She grabbed his hand and they walked in the courtroom together.

/

Zofia entered the white mask base garage. She parked it, killed the engine and grabbed the gun on the dash. She pointed it at IQ and told her to get out slowly. She grabbed her by the shoulder and ushered her forward. She tossed the keys to another white mask in the garage and told him to get rid of it.

"Where are you taking me?" IQ asked as they exited the garage.

"Shut up."

"You're going to kill me anyway, what's the harm in telling me?"

Zofia remained silent.

"Answer me Bosak."

Zofia said nothing as they approached Amelia's office. When they reached the door, IQ yanked her shoulder free and got herself a pistol whip to the back of the head as a reward. It wasn't hard enough to knock her out, but it was enough to beat the fight out of her. Zofia opened the door and shoved her inside.

"Hey Ballsack, you made it." Amelia said "And you brought a friend."

IQ glared at her. "Ooh, I like her." Amelia said "She looks fierce."

"Uncuff me and you'll find out how much."

Amelia smirked at her. "Maybe some other time." She turned to Zofia "Progress report. Did it work?"

Zofia spread her arms to show Amelia how she looked after everything she's been through. "Are you seriously asking me that?"

"So that's a no then."

"Yeah no shit. Six had one of Flament's drones scout out the place."

"I don't know who that is."

"He-, nevermind. His drone can basically see people through walls and it came back with nothing." Zofia said "Six is pissed. She's going to carpet bomb this place soon, we need to move now."

"You actually brought me something useful." Amelia said "I knew it was a good idea not to kill your family."

Zofia knew it was meant to piss her off, but what Amelia just said had made her day. "What about her?" she asked, pointing to IQ.

Amelia shrugged. "Just take her to the others."

Zofia grabbed IQ and left her office. The two of them walked down the halls when IQ tried to plead one last time. "You can do whatever you want to me, I don't care anymore just please don't kill the others."

"It's too late Weiss. There's nothing I can do for them anymore." Zofia said, a hint of guilt in her voice "The only people I can help are my family, and you can bet that that is exactly what I'm going to do."

She unlocked the cell and pushed IQ in. She closed the door and unlocked IQ's handcuffs through the grates.

"What about Ela?" IQ asked "If you're not going to help the others help her, she's still your family."

Zofia acted like she didn't hear anything and walked away, an act that pissed IQ off. She hit the glass and yelled after her, getting more than a few profanities out before she realized she wasn't alone. A quick sweep of the room and she caught sight of the bruised and bloodied man on the bed, but what caught her attention was the frightened little girl hiding behind the bed frame.

She just stared at her, and IQ just stared back. She couldn't have been any older than six years old. IQ slowly approached her, which only made her tremble even more. "Please don't hurt me."

IQ kneeled in front of her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm not like them. I'm not going to do anything to you."

The girl looked at the ground. "Why are you mad at my mom?"

"Your Zofia's daughter?"

She nodded. "I'm Sophie, that's my dad lying on the bed. The bad men did that to him."

"I'm Monika." IQ replied "What bad men?"

"I didn't see their faces because they wore masks." Sophie said "Why are we here Monika?"

IQ was caught off guard by the question. No matter what Zofia had done, she still deserved for her daughter to be hidden from the truth.

"I-, I don't know."

/

Rook, Ela, Mira, Ash and Thermite stood around Castle in the rec room, basically interrogating him since he was the first to know about Buck, Jager and Alibi getting arrested.

"For the last time, the three of them got caught sneaking out, and with Six's paranoia, she had them arrested. She said she didn't want another Zofia situation, even though she knew damn well that they were only going out for Monika. They're supposed to go to trial today."

"What if the judge finds them guilty?" Ash asked.

"Normally, they could get a death sentence for treason, but since Six has to leave some of the details out because Rainbow isn't supposed to exist, the most they could get is a life sentence."

"That's not that much better."

"Well there's nothing I can do about it Jordan." Castle said "That's all I got from Six, now can you stop drilling into me? You're attracting attention."

They looked around and sure enough, nearly everyone was looking at them, especially Frost. "I have to tell Tina." Mira said "She deserves to know."

"You do you, just please leave me alone right now. Please." Castle said.

Everyone else left except for Rook. "What's wrong?"

"My friends are about to be arrested and you're asking me what's wrong?"

Rook shook his head. "I don't think so. You're hiding behind that problem to avoid talking about another."

"I didn't realize you were a shrink now Julien. Surprising to see that level of intelligence from someone whose whole deal is about dropping plates."

"Maybe, but that doesn't change the fact that something's bothering you."

"But it does change the fact that I don't want to talk about it with you. Leave me alone."

"Fine, but talk about it with someone. The more you bottle it up, the more it will hurt when you finally choose to deal with." Rook turned to leave.

"Emmanuelle was pregnant." Castle said, making Rook stop.

He turned around. "What did you just say?"

"We spent the night together in Tours. When we got back she found out she was walking for two, but she lost it after she got attacked when Zofia escaped. I woke up one night to check on her and she wasn't in her room in the infirmary. I found her in the cafeteria with a bottle of alcohol, playing russian roulette, just as she was about to find out which cylinder was loaded."

Rook was speechless from hearing what Castle just said. "Shit, I'm sorry for asking."

"It's ok. It felt good to tell someone, just don't tell the others yet." Castle got up and left the rec room.

Rook sat down with the others, wanting nothing more than to just forget what he just heard. He looked around, even with Frost and Hibana sitting with them, there was still only a few of them at the table. With his friends about to be arrested and the bomb that Castle dropped, he needed a distraction. And there was one right in front of him.

"Hey Elena, do you have any alcohol left?"

Next to Rook, Ela raised her eyebrow. "Really Julien, its ten in the morning."

"Two of our friends are fitting orange jumpsuits and another is fitting angel wings." Rook said "I'm not wasting my time feeling sorry for them. I choose to drink in their honor."

Ela turned to Mira. "Don't tell me you're actually giving him any."

Mira shrugged and reached for her pockets, pulling out a flask from each of them. "Lighten up Ela Six and Zofia are gone, don't tell me you're the next stuck up bitch who tells us what to do."

The comparison to her sister gave Ela a change of heart and she swiped a flask from Mira, opened it and took a huge sip.

"That's my girl." Rook said, pulling her in for an alcohol scented kiss before taking the flask from her and taking a sip of his own.

Everyone else took a sip as well, including Frost and Hibana and after there were more than a few drinks in them, it wasn't long before their usual banter decided to show up.

"Okay, okay." Thermite said "Let's play a game. One of us asks a question and the others have to answer. Whoever doesn't has to drink."

Everyone agreed and Frost chose to go first. "Let's start it off with something personal." She said "How did you lose your virginity?"

"I like drunk Tina. I'll go first." Rook said "I stayed late back when I was in secondary school for a project and I missed the last train back to Tours. I decided to just stay there and catch the train in the morning but the guard wouldn't let me and while we fought one of the teachers on her way down heard. I was nineteen at the time and she was like thirty. Anyway, I guess she felt sorry for me so she let me stay the night at her apartment. It was small and only had one bed so we had to share. One thing lead to another and, well you can guess what happened next."

Rook waited for their reactions to die down before adding one last part. "And the worst part was I missed the morning train."

"I'll go next. Let's keep this short but sweet." Thermite said "Remember the girl I told you about? The one I took to prom and nearly threw up on?"

Ash nodded. "Yeah why?"

"I still managed to hit that."

"Now I really feel sorry for her."

Hibana raised her hand. "My turn. My friend caught me masturbating and decided to help. That's how I found out she was gay. That's how I found out I was gay. That's how my parents found out I was gay. That's how I found out they were homophobic. A lot of discoveries were made that day."

"My turn." Mira said.

"No story to tell, she never lost it!"

While everybody else laughed, Ela tuned out, staring blankly until she saw Valkyrie enter the room and Hibana immediately leave after she saw her. Valkyrie saw and kept her head down.

"I'll be back." Ela said getting up from the table.

"You're not escaping from this Ela!" one of the others yelled after her, but she was too far and too drunk to tell which. She stumbled towards Valkyrie.

"What's up with you and Yumiko?" she asked her.

"Nothing, unfortunately."

"I know that." Ela said "I meant why is she pissed at you?"

Valkyrie sighed. She was never good with talking about relationships, but Ela was one of her closest friends, aside from Craig, but there was no way she's talking about this with him. "She thinks I'm not yet over Taina."

"And why would she think that?" Ela asked.

"Because I yelled her name instead of Yumiko's."

Ela blinked. "Damn, Meghan."

Valkyrie put her head in her hands. "I know, I fucked up."

"Well do you like her?"

Valkyrie nodded.

"Then talk to her. She might still be pissed, but if she like you as much as you like her, she'll understand."

Valkyrie looked at Ela with a half smile. "Thanks Ela."

/

"I would like to call Sebastien Cote to the stand."

After one last glance to Jager and Alibi, Buck got up to approach the stand. They didn't have much luck during the majority of the trial so if he fucks this up, then they're definitely going to jail. He took a seat and Six's attorney began to question him.

"You and two others were caught sneaking outside even under strict instructions not to, yes?"

"Well, yes but-"

"And you had done this on several other occasions?"

"One other time but-"

"And you were aware that there was and still is a double agent in your agency, correct?"

Buck didn't bother answering anymore.

"So one corrupt agent gets caught and in fear of being discovered as well the three of you decided to make a run for it and you got caught anyway. Am I correct?"

"No!" Buck yelled. It got him a few murmurs and looks from the jury, but he didn't care. If they were going to prison, he was going to show everyone how Six wasn't any better. "That corrupt agent got caught, but got away on Six's watch. She went for her family after Six had told her she was planning on bombing the white mask base, an act that would claim the lives of the innocent prisoners as well as anyone caught in the succeding blast radius."

"And do you have evidence to back that up?"

Buck looked at Six, who was pissed by the fact that he had revealed as much as he did. This was good, the angrier she was, the more chances she'll slip up. It was time to bluff.

"I have video evidence of her stating that, as well as several threats which violate our agency's code of conduct."

Six shot up. "No you don't!" she yelled "The cameras in the interrogation room were disabled."

"And why was that?" Buck couldn't help but smile. The jury was still murmuring, but it was now in their favor.

The tables have turned.

He went back to their table, whispering something to their attorney before sitting down, receiving a pat on the back and a kiss from Jager and Alibi.

Their attorney cleared her throat. "The defendant would like to call Six to the stand."

Six grumbled as she walked towards the judge. "I have a name you know."

"That information is irrelevant." She said as Six sat down "One of your operators were taken during the escape of the said double agent, am I right?"

"Yes." Six said through gritted teeth.

"And yet you chose to do nothing, to the point where three of your operators decided to go after her themselves, and got caught. Is that right?"

Six looked like she was about to jump out of her seat and tackle their attorney. "Yes it is."

"The neglect of two operators was also the reason for my clients to sneak out the first time, correct?" she asked "This would mean that the acts of my client were not brought on by treason, but the desire to correct the wrong actions of their director."

"That's right." Buck cut in "You did all this to cover up the fact that you fucked up."

Six shot up from her seat in anger. "You shut the fuck up Cote. You and your friends have caused me nothing but trouble. I should have scapegoated you when I had the chance!"

The whole courtroom was silent. Realizing what she had just said, Six let her head drop as she walked back to her table.

"If that is all, we'll have a recess before finishing the trial." The judge said.

Buck smiled. He knew the jury was thinking it over. They were already leaning their way during the latter parts of the trial but Six's little display had confirmed it.

They were going home.

 **A/N:**

 **So grim sky is here and sure enough Albino Rook is now in the game. Sad day for us Rook mains, RIP Lardex.**

 **This chapter was more of a filler one, character development and all that. The next one is a major part of the plot so it might take me longer to write it though.**


	23. Chapter 23

Valkyrie stood outside Hibana's room with her hand raised and ready to knock. She couldn't bring herself to do it though, half of her begging her to just go to bed while the other half was yelling at her to just grow a pair and knock already. She closed her eyes and tapped on the door twice.

"Go away Meghan."

Valkyrie was puzzled. "How did you-"

The door opened a crack, cutting off Valkyrie before she could finish her question. "I didn't. I yelled at like five other people before it was actually you." Hibana said "Now please fuck off."

She tried to shut the door but Valkyrie stopped her. "Wait, can we talk? Please."

Hibana sighed. "Why? What bullshit excuse could you have possibly thought of."

"No excuse Yumiko." Valkyrie said "You were right. I'm not yet over her, but I really do like you. You're more than a distraction, and it wasn't fair of me to do what I did. It wasn't fair to Taina and it wasn't fair to you and I'm sorry."

Hibana crossed her arms. "You rehearsed this didn't you?" she said "So what, am I supposed to jump into your arms now?"

"I don't expect you to, I just came here to apologize." Valkyrie said "I hope you find someone who actually deserves you."

Hibana stared at her for a while. "Is that all?"

Valkyrie nodded and Hibana slammed the door shut. Valkyrie turned to leave when the door opened all the way. She turned around, only to have her heart sink when she saw Frost leave the room. Had she heard all that? This went worse than she thought. She walked away and reached the end of the hall when someone called for her. She turned around to see Hibana poking her head out of the door.

"What the hell? Do you know how hard it is to get Tina to leave?"

Valkyrie walked back to her. "I don't understand."

"That was cue to come in here idiot."

Valkyrie's eyes lit up. "Does this mean you forgive me?"

"Depends on how good are you in bed."

Valkyrie threw her arms around Hibana and gave her a kiss as she walked in her room and shut the door behind them.

/

IQ sat in her cell with a weird feeling. It was as if everything felt…darker. She looked behind her, Sophie and herr father were still asleep. She got up from the bed and walked towards the wall of bulletproof glass, feeling as if it got farther with each step. She finally reached it and pressed her hand on the glass when the door of the room blew open and Buck walked through.

"Sebastien? What are you-"

"Oh come on did you really think I wasn't going back for you? Sit tight while I get this open."

While Buck worked on the control panel, a white mask stumbled through the door, brandishing a kife. IQ yelled at Buck, trying to warn him but nothing came out. Was her voice gone? Why was her voice gone? Buck turned around just in time to face the white mask. As he dug his knife into Buck's throat, IQ's voice finally returned, but it was no use now. She yelled his name as he bled out. The darkness closed in around her slowly, until she couldn't see anything anymore.

IQ's eyes broke open and she shot up. The bed was soaked. She turned to the glass, no blood, no dead Buck. Her heart still raced, but she was thankful. It was just a dream.

"Who's Sbeastien?"

IQ looked for the source of the voice. In the other bed was Sophie, staring at her. "You yelled his name in your sleep. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Sophie, it was just a bad dream." IQ said "Sebastien is, he's my friend."

"Oh, okay." Sophie said before looking at her father, who was still unconcious. He didn't seem any better now than when she first saw him.

"How long has your father been out?"

Sophie looked at the floor. "The bad men always come and take him and hurt him. The last time they took him was a few days ago. He never woke up since then."

"A few days ago? How long have you been here?"

"I can't remember anymore." Sophie said "I want to go home, Monika."

IQ sighed. "Me too Sophie, me too."

The two of them sat in silence when the door swung open and Amelia walked in the room. Sophie got up from the bed and walked to the glass.

"Where's my mom?" Sophie demanded and for a moment, IQ saw a sliver of humanity from Amelia's eyes.

"She couldn't make it, but she asked me to come get you."

"I don't believe you. I want to see her first."

IQ expected Amelia to raise her voice, but instead she kneeled down so that she was eye level with Sophie. "Look kid, I just want to help your mother, alright? She wants to see you before we leave but the others won't let her. Don't you want to see her?"

That bullshit didn't fool IQ for a second, but it fooled Sophie. She nodded and Amelia went to unlock the door on the glass wall. IQ got up and walked towards them.

"Sophie wait." IQ said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Amelia quickly unlocked the door and barged in the room and tased IQ, the fifty thousand volts coursing through her body enough to send her to the ground.

"Monika!" Sophie yelled as she rushed to IQ's side, where she was picked up and carried by Amelia.

"Ugh, the shit I have to do." Amelia grumbled as she carried Sophie, who was kicking and screaming on her shoulder.

From the floor, IQ could only watch.

/

When their plane landed, Buck, Alibi and Jager got out happier than when they boarded it, and with a good reason as well. Not only were they able to convince the jury they did nothing wrong, they even managed to have Six removed as their director. With Mira's alcohol and their clear schedule, they were going to celebrate. Sure it was way too early to start drinking, but who was going to stop them, certainly not Six.

Jager made his way for the rec room to break the news to the others, and Buck was right behind him when Alibi pulled him to the side.

"Since we're not going to prison, what do you say we celebrate our freedom?" she asked.

"I was actually about to head to the rec room to do that."

"No, I meant with me."

"You can come too." Buck said "I'm sure they'd like to meet you."

"I meant celebrate, just the two of us."

Buck just stared at her. "I don't follow."

Alibi gave up at this point. "Oh my god Sebastien, let's fuck."

Buck cleared his throat. "Uh yeah, I totally understood that. What do you have in mind?"

"I still have the handcuffs, just don't make them too tight, it hurts my wrists." Alibi said "God you're so clueless." She rolled her eyes as she walked to the dorms, with Buck right behind her.

…

After getting a few drinks in him, Jager got up from the table. He decided to see Six's ugly ass face one last time before bein rid of her forever. He grabbed another flask from the stash despite the others telling him to leave some for them. He shrugged them off and took a sip as he walked to Six's office, earning him a few looks from other operators, but he didn't care. They were never really popular with the majority of Rainbow anyway. He reached her office and barged in, catching Six in the middle of collecting all her records.

"Came here to gloat Streicher?" she snarled.

"Not really." Jager said "Just here to watch you as your own plan against us bit you in the ass."

"Keep talking about my ass and you'll have my foot up yours."

Jager took another swig from his flask. "I wasn't threatened by that when you were my boss, I'm still not threatened now."

Six reached out and swiped the flask from Jager's hand, causing some of its contents to spill on him. "What the hell?!" he yelled.

"No alcohol in the outpost."

"You have a complaint? Take it to human resources because as far as I'm concerned, you have no authority over me anymore." Jager said swiping the flask back.

"I don't need any authority to whoop your ass Streicher, don't test me."

"And how would doing that be any good for you?" Jager asked "Dishonorably discharged director of covert ops agency attacks former operator. No, in fact you should do that, I want to see you fuck your life up even more."

Six already had her fist cocked back when something crashed through the window of her former office. It bounced on her desk before landing on the ground, where it erupted smoke, filling the room in a matter of seconds. Jager felt his eyes water up and he began to cough. He grope the wall until he found the door then jumped out of the room, with Six right behind him.

He looked down the hall, where several operators stumbled out the other offices which were filled with the same gas as the one in theirs. Jager ran back to the rec room, where he caught Ash out the doorway.

"What the fuck is going on?" he asked her.

"It's the white masks, they're attacking again." Ash said "We need to open the armory before too many of them get inside."

Jager went to go with Ash when Six grabbed his arm. "By the time you get back here it will be too late."

"If we don't get any weapons we'll be dead anyway." Jager said "You're in no position to give us any orders anymore."

"But I do know this place better than anyone else and I'm telling you, the armory is too far and the first place the white masks will secure."

"Fine. What do you suggest?"

Six pushed the two of them back in the rec room where what was left of Team Rainbow stood.

/

IQ banged on the glass the minute she was able to stand back up. She didn't care if her fists hurt, that bitch took Sophie and she wasn't able to do anything about it. She kept hitting the glass, there must be a crack, a dent, any imperfection on the glass she can use to break through. Anything.

"You're wasting your time."

IQ turned around. For the first time since she got here, Sophie's father was finally awake. "I've scaled every inch of that wall. You won't find anything. I didn't."

"Would you rather I just sit around? Your daughter was-"

"I know." He cut IQ off "I heard everything, somehow. Thank you for not telling Sophie about who her mother really is."

"What happened to you?"

"I told you, I scaled every inch of that wall, and those bastards beat me because of it. In fact, anything I did that even resembled rebellion, they would beat me, worse and worse every time, but it was worth it. Anything is as long as it means it can get Sophie out of here."

"Jesus christ." IQ said.

"I don't care if I die here as long as she doesn't." he said "Monika, right? I'm Jeremiah."

He extended his hand and IQ shook it. The sat in silence when two white masks entered the room. One of them covered the camera while the other went to place the key on the cell door.

"Finish disabling the cameras and get out of bere already." The white mask yelled to the other one.

"You need sedative."

The white mask looked at IQ through the glass. "No, I like it when they fight back."

The other white mask left and the cell door was unlocked. IQ shot up and kicked the cell door into the white mask before grabbing his gun and pointing it between his legs.

"Give me one reason not to blow your dick off." IQ snarled.

The white mask remained calm. "Still have that crush on Sebastien?"

IQ knew he wanted to distract her, and it worked. She lowered the gun for a moment but instead of reaching for it, the white mask took his mask off.

"So that's a yes then?"

IQ dropped the gun and stepped back to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. "Elias? You're…you're a fucking white mask?"

"Relax Monika, I'm undercover." Blitz said "I was given the assignment after you were all transferred to the Munich outpost. It was originally for Dominic, but I chose to take it. Lord knows he's been through enough."

IQ wrapped her arms around Blitz, relieved by the fact that he wasn't an enemy. "What made you decide to blow your cover now?"

"Most of the white masks are storming the outpost. I stayed back when I saw you were a prisoner."

"They're storming the outpost?"

"Yes." Blitz said "If we leave now we can still make it."

"No. We have to get Sophie first."

"The little girl?" Blitz asked "Amelia brought her with them to make sure Zofia wouldn't call in an airstrike on their convoy."

"It's too dangerous there for her." Jeremiah said, standing up from the bed and flinching after stepping on his bad foot "We have to go now."

Blitz nodded and walked to the door and knocked twice. The other white mask entered and Blitz shoved his knife in his neck. Blitz yanked it out and the white mask fell to the floor.

"Take his uniform and meet me in the garage." Blitz said "Just handcuff Jeremiah. If anyone asks, just say you're going to beat the shit out of him again."

IQ nodded and Blitz left the room. If this works, they might be able to save the others.

/

Jager, Ash, Thermite, Rook, Ela, Mira, Hibana, Frost, Valkyrie, Glaz, Thatcher, Ying, Dokkaebi and Six all stood around a table in the rec room. Behind the barricaded doors, the sound of countless helpless operators being taken as hostages, if they were lucky enough not to have been gunned down on sight.

"This is bullshit!" Glaz said, frustrated "We should be out there helping them."

"Do you hear that?" Six said, pointing to the door "They have us outnumbered. If you go out there halfcocked you'll just be adding to their body count. What we need is a plan."

"So you give a shit about us now?" Thermite asked.

"I am not going down without a fight. I know I no longer belong here, but if I'm leaving, its not through a body bag. If you care about them, you'll help me."

"Fine." Jager said "What do we do."

"The armory is probably the area that the white masks will focus on to avoid anyone fighting back." Six said "If we can get through and get your weapons, we can help the other operators."

"How can we do that with just our side arms? You said it yourself, that place will be swarming with white masks." Rook said.

"We can break them up. Someone can distract them, attract a crowd then run off." Thatcher pitched in "Whoever's left can slip inside and grab enough weapons for everyone."

"He's right." Six said "Castellano, Glazkov, Trace and Alvarez, go now before there's too many of them."

"What about the intel?" Ela asked "We can't let them take it. They have a lot of it already, if they get anymore it could compromise the other outposts."

"I can clear the system but it will take time. I need someone to watch my back while I do it."

"I can go with you." Jager said.

"Take Baker and Mei Lin too, everyone else, help the other operators or kill those bastards." Six said and they all left the rec room to take the outpost back.

…

Alibi rubbed her wrists as she watched Buck get dressed. "Dammit Sebastien I told you not to put them on too tight."

"You didn't complain when I put them on."

"I was horny Sebastien. I wouldn't have said no to anything."

"Then its not my fault anymore." Buck said, giving Alibi a kiss.

The door to Alibi's room broke open, with a white mask standing by the doorway. He hesitated when he saw that the two of them were still getting dressed, which gave Buck enough time to reach for his pistol, which was thankfully still in the holster of his pants, and fired three rounds into the man's chest.

He and Alibi finished dressing and they went out the room, greeted by the sound of gunshots in the distance. Buck picked up the white mask's pistol and stowed in his holster, with his own gun was in his hands, ready to fire at a moment's notice.

"What's going on Sebastien?" Alibi asked, pulling her own side arm out.

Buck didn't say anything as peaked at a corner to check for any hostiles. He gestured at Alibi that it was clear and they ran. "The dorms are on the other side of the outpost. If we're lucky the only one who saw us is the one with three holes in his chest." Buck said "We have to get to the infirmary."

"What? No. You can hear that can't you? They're being slaughtered, we have to help them."

Buck stopped running and grabbed Alibi by the shoulders. "I know, but they have a better chance of fighting back than those strapped to a hospital bed with IV's in their arm. We have to go to the infirmary, they need our help more."

Alibi nodded. "Ok, you're right. What do we do?"

They continued running as Buck explained to Alibi what his plan was. "Back when Dominic first relapsed he broke into the infirmary and stole so much meds he nearly OD'ed. Thankfully Doc found him before downed the last bottle of pills." Buck said "Six was new back then and she knew that someone stealing drugs on her watch wouldn't go so well with the higher ups so she forced Doc not to tell anyone. Until know the way he snuck in through still hasn't been fixed. We go in through there and then get them out."

The two of them reached the side of the main building and Buck looked up. "There," he pointed to the third window "that's the infirmary." He grabbed his hook from his belt and threw it upward, where it hooked on the railings of the roof. He gave it a tug and prepared to rappel.

"Sebastien?" Alibi asked.

"Don't worry, I've done this a million times by now."

"I haven't."

Buck looked up, then back to Alibi. "Uh, ok, just stay here and help the others when they get down."

Alibi nodded and Buck rappelled upwards. He reached the third floor and looked through the window. Castle and Capitao were barricading the door while Doc tended to Twitch. Buck pushed the window and its broken lock fell to the ground, startling Doc, who immediately pulled his gun on him.

"Calm down Doc its me. A little help please?"

Doc walked over to the window and pulled him inside. "Aria is down there, we need to get Pichon out of here."

"Through there?" Castle asked, pointing to the window "Its too dangerous."

"Would you rather she stay here?"

On the bed, Twitch wearily woke up. She reached for Castle's hand. "Don't worry Miles, I'll be fine."

Castle budged and helped Doc tie the harness around her arms and lowered her through the window, where Alibi helped her get down.

"Alright, Campbell, you're next." Buck said.

Castle got a hold of the rope before descending downwards to where Alibi and Twitch were. Just as his feet were about to touch the ground, a white mask rounded the corner and spotted them. Alibi was quick enough to gun him down before he could get a shot off, but not quick enough to take him out before he could report them through their comms.

"Sebastien hurry!" Alibi yelled.

They heard the door slam against the desk jammed in front of it just as Doc got out of the window. He slid down the building to the sound of white masks ramming against the door. Buck turned to Capitao.

"Go, I'll hold them off."

Capitao got out the window and Buck reached for the white mask's pistol, holding it in one hand and his own pistol in the other. The door blew open and he fired blindly, emptying both pistols into the narrow doorway. From the bottom of the building, he heard the others yell at him.

"Sebastien get out of there!"

Buck tossed the empty pistols aside and tipped over a medicine cabinet before jumping through the window, barely grabbing onto the rope as he swung wildly during his descent. He was on the second floor by the time he heard something metal snap and he fell to the ground, flat on his back. He felt all the air in his lungs leave his body as well as warm blood gush from the side of his leg.

He heard the muffled sounds of the Alibi running towards him. "Fucking hell Sebastien, what was that?" she asked as she helped him up and let him lean on her as they limped their way to the garage near the dorms.

They were getting out of here.

…

Valkyrie looked at the cameras through her phone and sure enough, there was an army of white masks surrounding the armory.

"Six was right, there's a lot of them."

Thermite racked the slide of his pistol back. "Alright, you know the plan. We distract them, and once its clear, get our weapons, alright Meghan?"

Valkyrie nodded and Thermite, Glaz and Mira ran out from their cover and yelled at the white masks, firing a few shots into them, and just like moths to a flame, the white masks ran after them. Valkyrie waited a few more moments before running to the armory. She swiped Six's keycard, which was thankfully not yet deactivated and opened the door.

She set her pistol on the desk before she began to fill up a duffel bag with as much rifles and ammunition as she can when someone yellled at her from behind.

"Put your hands up and back away from the desk!"

Valkyrie looked at her pistol from the corner of her eye. She was fast, but if the white mask even had half decent aim, he could still be able to shoot her. It was a gamble, but Valkyrie had no choice. She stepped back once so that now she has a clear view of her pistol. She counted it down on her head.

Three.

Two.

One.

Valkyrie lunged forward, her hand already wrapped around the grip of her pistol and turned around to see her adversary get shot before she even got the safety off. She watched the lifeless body fall to the ground where it got trampled by Glaz when he barged in the armory. After a quick question on whether she was ok, he pushed past Valkyrie to grab his OTS-11.

"Get the weapons to the others, I'm going to find a vantage point."

Glaz left and Valkyrie finished stuffing the bag. She swung it over her shoulder and got on the comms. "I have the guns, meet me in the frontlines when you're done."

"Understood." Jager responded. He looked inside the intel room, where Dokkaebi was wiping out all the hard drives. "What the hell us taking so long?"

"Do you want to switch places Streicher? Shut up and let me work."

Jager rolled his eyes. Dokkaebi always was so arrogant and smug. No wonder she and Bandit got along so well. "What about you guys? See anything?" Jager asked Ying and Thatcher.

"Nothing here." Ying replied.

"Mike, what about you?"

The other end was silent. Jager tried again, and again there was no response. He turned back to Dokkaebi. "We have to leave right now."

"Just a second I'm almost done." Dokkaebi said "Ok, we're good let's go."

The two of them shut the door and ran back. When they rounded the corner, Jager heard a gunshot and suddenly his vision was red. He wiped the blood of his face as he watched Dokkaebi's body fall to the ground in horror. He reached for his pistol when he felt two rounds enter his chest. He fell to the ground as well, watching the blond headed white mask approach him.

She took her mask off and pointed her gun at Jager. "Zofia's told me a lot about you."

Before she could pull the trigger, someone grabbed her from behind and threw her to the side. It was Thatcher, covered in blood, although from the pissed off expression on his face, it probably wasn't his. He walked over to where Amelia laid and wrapped his hands around her throat.

"This is for Seamus." Thatcher grunted.

"Fuck him and fuck you." Amelia spat before reaching for the pistol in Thatcher's holster. She pointed it at his temple and fired it then pushed his lifeless body off of her. She got up just as Ying got to them and shot her as well, leaving Jager the only one left.

He yelled profanities at her as he tried to crawl away from Amelia, all of which she ignored before finishing him once and for all.

…

Valkyrie ran through the halls of the outpost, following the sounds of gunfire. If it were Rainbow operatives, she'll give them guns, if they were white masks, she'll gun them down. Simple. She reached the corner with her smg ready.

She came face to face with Rook and they both lowered their weapons. Behind him was Ela and Hibana.

"Where are the others?" Rook asked.

"We got separated. Are you all that's left?"

"I don't know. I don't hear anyone fighting back anymore."

"Shit. We have to move." Valkyrie said and they ran, passing by the cafeteria, where they saw three operators tied together. "Julien, Ela stay here, watch our backs."

Valkyrie and Hibana entered the cafeteria, slowly walking to the operators, who were yelling at them through the duct tape on their mouths. "Calm down, we're here." Valkyrie reassured but they didn't stop.

"Meghan, I don't think they're asking for help." Hibana said, and when a dozen white masks emerged from the shadows, her suspicions were confirmed. They were taken to where the others were and were forced to kneel. Amelia burst through the door, pissed off and covered in blood.

"That's still not everyone. Where the fuck are the last ones?"

A shot rang out, going through the glass window, hitting the white mask next to her. Amelia and the other white masks went for cover as they tried to find where the shooter was. More shots went through the window, hitting against the walls the white masks stood behind. One of them peaked his head out and was immediately taken out.

"Where is he?" Amelia yelled, to which Valkyrie chuckled at "Something funny bitch?"

Valkyrie whispered something barely audible to herself, let alone Amelia.

Valkyrie said it again, but even quieter. Amelia moved closer to hear her and when she did Valkyrie brought her head against hers. Amelia stumbled back.

"I like you." She said before shooting Valkyrie, Hibana yelling as her body fell to the ground, blood spouting from a hole in her head. Amelia faced the window.

"That was for our man!" she yelled "Come down here or I'm killing another one!" She grabbed Fuze from the crowd and held a gun to his head.

"Take the shot Timur!" Fuze yelled, but Glaz couldn't hear him anymore. He was already entering the room with his hands up. "Smart man." Amelia said before executing Fuze in front of him. Before Glaz could react, the white masks beat him over the head and he fell to the ground. "Spread out, find the last two."

The white masks did as they were told and Rook and Ela ran for the tunnel Mira uses to sneak out for alcohol. Rook lifted the desk so Ela could crawl under it and into the hole. In the distance, they heard footsteps.

"Julien, come on." Ela said.

Rook looked back before dropping the desk. "Go, I'll distract them."

Ela banged her fist on the desk. "Don't be ridiculous there's too many of them."

"Only one of us is getting out of here Ela and I'd rather it be you."

"Don't do this Julien, get in here." Ela begged.

"I love you Ela, I'm sorry." Rook said, ignoring Ela's pleas as her ran. "Hey fuckers!" he yelled as he threw an impact into the crowd of white masks before running, leading them away from Ela. He ran to the crowd of white masks. "Hey fuckers!" he yelled as he threw an impact into them before running, leading them away from Ela, who could only watch from behind the desk.

She blinked a few tears away before crawling through the tunnel. She reached the end, where there were white masks cocked and ready, waiting for her. She put her hands up and she was dragged out and handcuffed.

…

Rook hid around the corner, panting as he checked the magazine of his MP5. He was down to half his ammunition. He heard more footsteps and he bolted.

"Don't make this any harder Nizan." Zofia yelled "Come out and we won't kill you."

"Bullshit!" Rook yelled "You said that to Seamus, look at him now."

"That was Amelia, not me." Zofia said "I wouldn't have done that if it were up to me."

"Eat a dick Bosak!" Rook yelled as he ran further. Dead end. He looked back, they were too close to him now. He was traped.

"Just drop the gun Nizan." Zofia said, walking up to him from behind.

Rook waited for her to come closer before swinging his gun at her so hard she dropped hers and he grabbed her by the neck and pulled out his magnum. "Everyone back the fuck up now!"

The white masks parted in the middle so that Amelia could walk through. She smirked at Rook as she grabbed a rifle from a white mask. "That's the difference between us Nizan. I'm willing to do what you're not." She said before she shot Rook through Zofia's chest. He stumbled backwards and they both fell through the window.

They landed in the driveway, just as Alibi and the others pulled up. She stopped the car and got out to help them get in the car. "Anyone else planning to fall out a building?"

She got back in and they sped their way through the gates and as far from the base as they can.

"We can't just leave the others." Rook groaned.

"We're not but we can't do anything for them like this." Alibi said "We have to lay low first, get our shit together, take back the base when we're ready."

"And where do we do that?"

"I know a place." Doc said "It used to be the main outpost before Munich but they had to remodel it. Its not that high tech but it should do."

Alibi continued driving, Doc giving directions as he tended to Twitch, Buck and Even Zofia. Eventually, after a few hours, they finally made it to their destination.

Hereford Base.


	24. Chapter 24

Ela was forced to kneel alongside the other operators caught by the white masks. They waited in silence until Amelia walked in the room with a smile on her face, but Ela could tell she was pissed. "Seven of you got away." She said "Seven kills that were stolen from me. In order to make up for that, I have a gun loaded with seven bullets." She pointed the gun at the head of the operator next to Ela, who was whimpering as she begged for her life "Time to get even."

"What are you doing Fischer?" a voice asked, making Amelia lower her gun.

Ela looked at where the voice came from. A middle aged man in a suit surrounded by guards made his way to them. He repeated his question.

"I'm doing what you asked me to." Amelia said.

"I didn't ask for this, I asked you to get me the outpost."

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"It looks like you're planning to execute everyone here." The man said "Tell me, how many have you killed before I got here?"

Amelia wouldn't meet his gaze. She stared at the floor as she murmured an answer. "Six."

"Jesus christ, six? And you're planning to add more to that?"

"I'm doing this to prove a point."

"And what point is that? These people, do you know what they have in common with trophies?"

Amelia holstered her weapon. "Neither of them are supposed to be alive."

"They remind us of our victory. If you have worked hard for something you don't just throw the reward away don't you?" he said "You disobeyed my order to hold off on the attack and six innocent people paid the price."

"There was always supposed to be casualties, we're terrorists for fuck's sake."

"That's enough!" the man roared so loud even Ela felt guilty "There was a way to do this without anyone dying. The way I was working on. You're way out of line Fischer. Take these people to the holding cells now or you'll be locked in there with them."

The man left, walking for Six's old office. Amelia waited until he was out of earshot before letting out all her anger as she emptied her pistol at the wall behind them. She turned to a white mask and yelled at him to take them to the holding cells before walking away herself.

/

"For the last time Aria, I'm fine." Buck said as Alibi helped him sit down.

"You can't even stand properly, don't give me that bullshit."

"Its just a cut at most Aria. A few painkillers and I'll be fine."

"No." Alibi said "Until Doc says you're ok, I'm not leaving you're side."

"What if I have to take a piss?"

Alibi smirked. "Nothing I haven't seen before."

Doc walked up to them and instucted Buck to roll up his fatigues so he can se the wound. He did as he was told and revealed a huge gash on the side of his leg that scraped against the wall as he fell.

"That needs to get stitched up." Doc said "And put some disinfectant on it. Just let me get my medical bag."

"Doc no. I'm fine, focus on the others. They're in worse shape than me."

"I doing what I can for everyone, but I'm doing it one at a time."

"Come on Dic just-"

"I'll do it." Alibi said, cutting Buck off "Its not perfect but it'll do."

Doc looked at the others before finally agreeing. "Fine. I'll come back later to check on how you did."

He left the two of them so he can check in on Rook. He took of his armor plate and the projectile of the bullet fell to the floor. Aside from a little bruising, the armor seemed to have stopped the bullet completely. Doc couldn't say the same for Zofia, though. The bullet went right through her, which left her body threatening to bleed out while she laid on one of the tables. Doc walked over to help her and got a scoff from Castle.

"We shouldn't be helping her Doc." He said "We shouldn't have brought her with us. We should have just taken Julien and leave her bleeding on the ground. You know what she did."

Doc didn't look him in the eye annd instead began to treat Zofia. "Be that as it may, no matter the things she did, she is still a human, and I have to help her."

"I get it, you're a humanitarian. She may be human, but what she did was inhumane."

Doc stopped what he was doing to face Castle. "Look, just let me finish treating before we decide what we're going to do."

"We already know what we're going to do with her. At least I do."

From the table, Zofia groaned. "I get it if you want to kill me, but at least let my save my daughter first."

"Why should I?" Castle asked, not realizing he was already yelling "Why should I let you see your kid after you took mine away?"

The whole room was silent. Castle realized he just told everyone about his secret.

"What's going on here?" Capitao asked as he came back from making sure the base was clear.

"I guess there's no point in hiding it anymore." Twitch spoke up. She stood in front of everyone and lifted her shirt to show a scar on her gut "I was pregnant and Miles was the father. During her escape, Zofia stabbed me with a shard of glass and…and its gone."

Everyone was shocked, especially Zofia, who couldn't believe the fact she ended an innocent life before it even began. "Pichon, I'm…I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Twitch asked "What the fuck is that worth? There's nothing your sorry can do for me or for my child."

"I-…I didn't know."

"It doesn't matter anymore. Its already dead," Twitch said "and after all this is over, you will be too."

…

A few hours later, after Doc had finished treating Zofia, he set her up in the infirmary of Hereford where thankfully all the medical equipment still worked. He hooked her up to the IV as well as a blood bag and left to join the others, who were discussing about how they were going to take the outpost back.

"We should just go for it now while we have the upper hand." Rook said.

"Excuse me? I don't think we were in the same outpost, what part of that did it look like we had the upper hand." Castle asked, still slightly frustrated from the encounter with Zofia earlier.

"Think about it Campbell. We just got our asses kicked. They saw us run away, the last thing they'd expect is for us to just come back the same day." Rook said "If we go for it now, they'll still be settling in. Throwing our shit away to make room for theirs. They'll be sitting back, relaxing with their guard down because they think they already won, and that is the perfect time to strike."

"And what if they're ready for us?" Doc asked "We're outnumbered and outgunned. What makes you so confident that they haven't set up by now? That they haven't turned the place into a fortress yet? I say we take Bosak and use her to get back in, then talk it out with their leader."

"One of them shot through her just to hit Julien. We won't get far if that's all she's worth to them." Twitch said "I'm sorry Doc but Julien has a point. The white masks did seem pretty cocky, especially the blonde one. We should go for it now."

"With what?" Alibi asked "We have more guns than ammunition, and we have eight guns."

"We have more than that." Capitao said "We have people on the inside. If the white masks are fighting with them while also trying to fend us off, they won't stand a chance."

"Maybe, but we have no way of communicating with them." Buck said.

From behind them, Zofia entered the room, clutching the IV stand as she struggled to walk towards them. "I can help with that."

/

"Sit tight." A white mask said, flashing Ela a shit eating grin as he locked the cell door.

Ela flipped him off as he walked away, before turning around to look at who was left. Aside from her was Ash, Thermite, Mira, Glaz, Frost, Hibana, Bandit, Finka and Tachanka. Thermite sat in a chair, trying to brush off Ash, who kept on bugging him about something.

"Just let me see it." She demanded.

"No Eliza. I said I'm fine."

Ash put her hand on her hips. "I'm doing this for your own good Jordan now show it to me. Don't make me ask twice."

Thermite sighed. "Fine. I don't know if you're my girlfriend or my mother." He lifted his bloodied shirt, revealing a bullet wound. It was way off to the side, only a few centimeters away from being a flesh wound, and went completely through, but it still looked bad, and Ash didn't refrain from telling him that.

"Jesus christ Jordan. You are nowhere near fine, you need help."

"And who'll give it to me?" Thermite asked "Even if I needed help, which I don't, its not like those bastards are willing to operate on me. They're the ones that shot me for fucks sake."

"Let me take a look at it." Finka said, stepping forward.

Ash stepped aside and Thermite turned to face Finka. After examining the wound for a while, she let Thermite put his shirt back on. "He won't be fighting anytime soon but its nothing to worry about that much."

"I had a friend, accidentally shot himself through the chest, he drank vodka and walked to nearest hospital. You'll be fine commrade." Tachanka said, giving Thermite a pat on the back, which made him wince but he hid it, mostly from Ash, who was still not completely sold on the idea. But what could she do about it? No matter how much she hated it, Thermite was right.

…

Ela woke up to the sound of frustrated and worries screaming. She turned to her side and saw the others huddled around Thermite with Ash the one closest to him, tears in her eyes.

"Jordan? Goddammit Jordan wake up!" she yelled, lightly slapping his face which got her no reaction from Thermite. "What's wrong with him? Lera you said he was fine."

"H-he was. I don't-I don't know what's wrong." Finka stuttered.

"Lift his shirt." Bandit said.

Ash did what he said and saw the wound had gotten worse, it was swollen and now had a dark outline around it. "What the fuck?"

"Blood poisoning." Finka said quietly.

"What? You said there was nothing to worry about. How did you not see that!" Ash yelled at her, scaring to the point that she backed up. Before a fight could break out, Thermite woke up, coughing blood as he did, taking all of Ash's attention from Finka. She knelt back down by his side.

"Jordan, why didn't you tell me? You must have felt something was wrong with you."

Thermite grabbed Ash's hand weakly, looking way too pale for it to be ok. "I didn't want you to worry." He said, which only made more tears roll down Ash's face.

"Can't you give him some of your nanobots or something?" Frost asked Finka.

"Our blood is incompatible. I have to separate them from my bloodstream or it will only kill him faster and I have no way of doing that here."

"You might not have to do that." Ela said "I have an idea."

Ela walked over and banged on the cell door so much it annoyed the guard into coming to them.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"We want to talk to your boss."

/

"What do you mean you can help us?"

"You need a way to talk to them don't you?" Zofia asked "I can get that for you."

"We're not actually listening to her are we?" Castle demanded "Everything you've said since you arrived at the outpost was complete bullshit. How is this any different?"

"What would I get out of lying to you?"

"Unfortunately she has a point Miles." Twitch said before turning to Zofia "Go on then. Enlighten us."

"The white masks were around way before Rainbow was. They updated their tech but never threw away the old ones. Chances are the radios on their vest still work. There's a radio transistor in the white mask head quarters. We can use that to send a message to the others. Stock up on munitions while we're at it."

Twitch looked at the others and the others looked back. "Fine. But you're staying here."

"You won't get far without me." Zofia said "ItYou don't even know where it is. Besides, it may be deserted by now but that base is still locked to white masks, and white masks only. I'm still on their database from when I was…"

"When you helped them take the outpost." Castle finished her sentence "Come with us then, but try anything and I will kill you myself."

Zofia stared him down. "We'll see."

Doc separated them before

Doc separated them before either of them went farther than just words. "That's settled. Get the car ready, we're leaving in ten minutes."Everybody left the room to get themselves ready, Alibi and Rook heading to the garage.

"I don't think we've met." Rook said "I'm-"

"I know who you are. Sebastien's told me about you. Julien, right?" Alibi asked "Aria de Luca."

"Yeah." Rook said, slightly surprised "How do you know Sebastien?"

Alibi shook her head. Sure, they weren't announcing it to everyone, but she and Buck weren't exactly discreet about their relationship. "God you're as clueless as him." She laughed.

Rook stopped. "What does that mean?"

Alibi didn't answer him. She just kept walking.

"Aria, what does that mean?"

Rook caught up to her and they got the car ready, filling it up with gas and checked everything, making sure it was capable of making the trip to the white mask base and back. They were just about done when Buck walked, or more accurately limped his way to them.

"No. You are not coming with us." Alibi said before Buck even said anything.

"I've told you a million times Aria, I'm fine."

"That would be more convincing if I wasn't the one who stitched up your leg."

"The others are in worse shape than me and you're letting them come?" Buck asked.

"They're different." Alibi said "They don't matter to me as much as you do." She walked up to him and gave him a kiss. She turned to Rook. "That's what that meant."

"So does this mean I can come?" Buck asked.

"Fine. But if you die on me I will kill you."

The others arrived and they drove off, following Zofia's directions to the white mask base. Castle kept a gun on her the whole time amd even though this annoyed her, Zofia couldn't blame him. After half an hour they made it and Doc parked the car. They got out and he instructed them to put all they're ammo on the hood. All in all, they had one speedloader and two half filled magazines left.

"Remember, this place may seem deserted but just keep an eye out for any stragglers. Julien, take Bosak to get thhe transistor, everyone else, stock up. Anything that seems useful, take it."

Rook and Zofia broke off from the others to the comms room where sure enough, a transistor sat on the desk waiting for them. Zofia checked to see if it works before unplugging it.

"Can you lift this for me?" Zofia asked "I'd do it myself but…" she gestured to the gauze wrapped around her chest.

Rook bent down to grab it and Zofia pulled his comms out. Rook reached for his magnum but Zofia stopped him. "Relax I'm not trying to hurt you." She whispered "I just want to make sure no one else hears this." She took a few deep breaths "Ok, you're…you're not an asshole."

"Uh, thanks?"

"No wait, let me start over. When I got to the outpost, saving my family was the only thing I had in mind and anything that would interfere with that, I got pissed at. As a result I may have treated you in a way you didn't deserve."

"Wait, are you apologizing? You're actually apologizing?" Rook asked in disbelief "Who are you and what have you done with Zofia Bosak?"

"I knew you would make this hard." Zofia said "Look, you're childish and immature, you never know when to be serious and you're more stubborn than a mule but you mean well. You're a good person and I see why Ela really likes you."

Rook stared at her, shocked by her sudden change of heart towards him. "Campbell and Pichon might need more convincing, but apology accepted."

Zofia hated to admit it but Rook's forgiveness actually made her feel good. She smiled at him, but then it got awkward so she gave him his comms back and he put them, just in time too as he heard Buck yelling at someone. He lifted the transistor and gave Zofia his magnum.

"Can I trust you not to shoot me?"

Zofia nodded and they ran back to the others, who were in the middle of a standoff with a bloodied man who held Alibi by the throat and a gun at the back of the head.

"Last chance motherfucker put the gun down or I will drop you!" Buck yelled.

"Go ahead I have nothing left to live for!" the man yelled back.

Rook and Zofia saw everything unfold from behind cover. "What are you waiting for take the shot." Rook whispered.

Zofia just stared at the man. She lowered her gun and let it drop to the floor before coming out of cover despite Rook's objections.

"Jeremiah?"

The man turned around, speechless when he saw Zofia. She ran towards him and he pushed Alibi off to meet her halfway. Zofia kissed her husband as she wrapped her arms around him.

"They killed Sophie." Jeremiah sobbed.

"No they didn't." Zofia said "They brought her along. She's in the outpost. We stopped here to something before taking it back."

Doc looked at Jeremiah. "You're in bad shape. How did you last this long?"

"Jeremiah rubbed the back of his head. "I had some help." He whistled and two more white masks emerged from the darkness. One of them took their mask off before anyone had the chance to draw their guns on them.

"Calm down, we're friendly."

Out of all of them, only Buck recognized him. "Elias? No way what are you doing here?" he asked with a smile.

"If you think that's a surprise wait until you see who this is."

Blitz took the other's mask off. "Hey guys." IQ waved.

Buck was the first to hug her. "Jesus Monika I was so worried about you."

"What happened to you guys? Where are the others?"

"The white masks captured those that were left alive." Rook said, his expression turning grim "Marius didn't-, he wasn't captured."

IQ and Blitz were speechless. "What do you mean."

Rook shook his head, tears rolling down his cheeks as Jager's and countless other's deaths finally sunk in. Now that they were no longer in imminent danger, they finally had time to grieve.

So that's what they did.

/

Ela and Finka found themselves being brought to Six's former office to talk to the head of the white masks. If they were lucky enough for their request to have been granted, hopefully they were lucky enough to get Thermite some help. They entered the office and saw the head sitting by the desk with Amelia standing by the corner.

"I understand you need my help?"

Ela nodded. "Yes. Our friend has blood poisoning. He needs medicine."

The head looked at them first before telling to get whatever they needed, which shocked Ela since she expected a fight but she didn't complain. Unfortunately Amelia did.

"You're just giving it to them?" she asked.

"Yes I am Fischer. It's the least I can do after what you've done now take them to the medbay."

Amelia clearly disagreed with him but thankfully she didn't push any further. Ela and Finka stood up and went with Amelia when the head called for them to stop. "Take one of them. I need to talk to this one." He said pointing to Ela. Finka and Amelia left and Ela sat back down.

"Elzbieta Bosak right?" he asked "You're Zofia's sister."

"Yeah. Is that why you helped us?"

"Partly. Look, there's nothing I can do for your people. The people Fischer killed. She was not acting under my orders. I figured the least I could do is help out someone who barely escaped the same fate."

Ela crossed her arms, skeptical about the man in front of her. "You seem awfully nice for a terrorist."

"That's because I'm different. I go out of my way to avoid bloodshed."

"Oh really? What was Barlett university then?"

Ela saw something she didn't expect in his eyes. Guilt. "That was one of my biggest regrets. The screams of those students will haunt me for the rest of my life. From that day onward, I swore not to take another life in my pursuit of what I want."

"And what is it that you want?"

"To change the world."

Ela scoffed. "Wow so original." She said "How am I sure you're telling me the truth. That you're not just saying the things you think I want to hear."

The man looked at Ela and in all seriousness asked her a question.

"Do you want to see your niece?"


	25. Chapter 25

Ela was brought to one of the better dorms of the outpost. The ones usually reserved for the higher ups. The two guards that stood outside the door unlocked it when the head nodded at them and he and Ela entered the room. Inside was Sophie, who shot upward when she heard the door open only to be disappointed when it wasn't who she was expecting.

"Sophie, this is your aunt." The head said, but Sophie wasn't interested.

"I don't want her I want my parents!" she yelled in a way any child throwing a tantrum would.

The head knelt down in front of Sophie and put a hand on her shoulder. "Please don't be like this Sophie. Your mother had to go away again and we don't know when she'll be back. Please just give Ela a chance."

Sophie looked at Ela with a pout. "Your hair looks weird."

Ela was intrigued by Sophie. She was innocent and lacked a filter. She just said whatever's on her mind, like any child did. Not to mention the fact that she was completely clueless to what was happening. As far as she was concerned, her mother was just going somewhere all the time and not the killer that she was. This made Ela smile for some reason.

"Well hello to you too." She said.

"How come I've never saw you before?"

Ela rubbed the back of her head. "You're mother and I aren't exactly on the best of terms right now." She said, seeing her niece made Ela guilty for not reconciling with Zofia earlier.

"What does that mean?"

 _You're speaking to a child Ela._ She reminded herself. "We don't get along with each other." She said "Its something about you're grandfather and we were never able to sort it out." Ela's eyes glistened with tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks. Talking to Sophie about her father brought up the things that she had bottled up for as long as she can remember, and although she felt more comfortable talking about this with Julien, Sophie was a good substitute.

"Well you two should talk about it. I hope you forgive each other, I would like to have you as my aunt."

"She actually tried to talk to me. She was always the one who approached me but I always avoided her." Ela said "Now I wish that I didn't. I wish I just dropped that stupid grudge and just talked to her. Now I might not even had that chance anymore."

"Why not?"

 _Fuck, too much information Ela._ She scrambled through her brain to find a way to redirect the conversation but Sophie was already asking another question.

"Is my mom ok?"

Ela couldn't think straight. She backed herself into a corner.

"Ok that's enough Sophie. Ela has to go somewhere now." The head said, which surprised Ela since she forgot he was still in the room. Still, she was thankful she didn't have to answer Sophie's question anymore because Sophie dropped the subject after a stern look from the head.

"It was nice meeting you Ela. I hope we get to see each other again."

"It was nice meeting you too. Good night."

The two of them left the room and the head instructed on of the guards to take her back to the cell. Before they left though, Ela stopped. It didn't feel right to her, but she felt obliged to do so.

"About the meds, and taking me to see Sophie, thank you, uh…"

"Santiago."

Ela nodded and she was taken back to her holding cell, where Fink just finished working on Thermite. He laid down on a bed, a blood bag on an IV stand connected to his arm and Ash sitting by his side, holding his hand.

"Are you ok? What happened?" Finka asked when Ela entered the room.

"He took me to see Zofia's daughter." Ela said "He wasn't as bad as I thought he would be."

Finka looked worried. "Ela he's a white mask."

"I know that. We're still killing every one of them when this is over, but he gives a shit about people. Unlike Six."

"Yeah. Unlike Six."

…

Ela found herself unable to sleep that night, tossing and turning on the bed for what felt like hours on end. After an eternity, her eyelids finally felt heavy and they started to close as she was slowly drifting off to sleep, only to be brought back to reality when a high pitched beep came from the guard's radio.

"The hell?" the guard asked as more and more beeps began to ring out, too frustrated to realize they were beeping in a pattern.

But Ela wasn't.

She pretended to be asleep as she listened closely. The beeping was too close together for it to be random. It wasn't morse, she was sure of that. Whoever was sending that message wasn't dumb enough to use a code that anyone could crack. No, this pattern was meant for someone in particular. It sounded familiar to Ela, but that was impossible. Only one other person knows that code, and she was dead. Or was she…

"Goddammit!" the guard yanked the radio from his vest and left it on the table before leaving, yelling to one of his colleagues what the fuck was wrong with the radios.

 _Perfect._ Ela thought, she listened closely until the pattern repeated to make sure she got the whole message before waking up Finka.

"Uh, what?" she groaned.

"Do you have any meds left?" Ela whispered.

"Yeah, why?"

"I need your help."

…

The next morning, Ela watched Thermite roll out of the room in a stretcher, a white sheet placed over him while Ash cried her eyes out. While the others comforted her, Finka walked up to Ela who watched the others from across the room, feeling a hint of guilt while seeing Ash like this.

"Is the plan still good?" Finka asked.

"Well there's no turning back now."

"Let's just hope this works."

/

"Did she get it?" Blitz asked.

"I've sent that code to all radio frequencies. If Ela was near any guard there was no chance she would miss it." Zofia said as she unplugged the transistor.

"How are you sure anyone else wouldn't pick up on that?" Rook asked.

"I taught her that code when we were young in case of situations like this. We're the only two people who know how to decipher it."

"What did you tell her?"

"I asked her to find a way to let us in from the inside."

"How will she do that?" Rook asked.

"I don't know." Zofia said "Let's hope, for everybody, that she does."

"What do we do now?"

Everyone stood there awkwardly, none of them knowing what was next. All they could do now was hope Ela could pull it off, but even if she does how will they know?

"I can go scout out the outpost." Alibi suggested "Study their routine, find a way inside in case Bosak won't be able to let us in."

"There's a spot somewhere on the outside perimeter of the base undetectable by the cameras. We used to go through there when we smuggle alcohol. Monika and I can show you." Buck said.

Alibi nodded. "Get our gear, I'll get the car ready."

The three of them left the others to do so and Buck took IQ to the armory while Alibi walked to the garage. While they stocked up, IQ held a grenade in her hand. "If Marius were still here he would have told us not to worry about these." She said.

Buck set the rifle he was inspecting on the table. "Yeah, I know." He sighed "If only I was there when it happened. I could have been able to do something."

"Why, where were you?"

Buck stuttered. "I-I don't remember."

IQ knew he was lying, but she was too down to care. She offered him a hug which he gladly accepted. They held each other tight, only letting go when Alibi cleared her throat behind them.

"Car's ready guys." She said before awkwardly turning to leave.

…

The three of them pulled up on the outpost, parking near the greenery by the outside of the outpost. Buck was right about that spot, nearly ten minutes parked there and no one has seen them yet.

"I can't see anything here. I'm moving closer." IQ said.

"There's a pair of binoculars in the trunk. Let me get them." Alibi popped the trunk open and walked towards it. A second later, she tapped it on the window of IQ's door and she exited the car. She took it from Alibi and turned to leave when Buck grabbed her hand.

"Hey, be careful."

IQ nodded and she carefully traversed down the path, making sure she wasn't spotted. She got closer and laid on her stomach before looking through the binoculars.

"I can see them." IQ said.

"Ok. Report back anything you find." Buck responded.

IQ could still hear them even after Buck answered. He always forgets to turn his comms off. She was just about tell him that when Alibi said something.

"You and Weiss are very close huh?" she said.

"She's my best friend of course we're close."

"Maybe a little too close?" Alibi asked.

"I don't see how that's-" Buck cut himself off "No way, you're jealous aren't you Aria?"

"I am not!"

"You would be more convincing if you weren't blushing." Even through the comms IQ could see Buck's smug grin.

"I…I don't…I'm not-"

"No matter how close I am with her, or anyone for that matter, I will still be yours Aria." Buck said, making IQ's heart drop to her stomach "And let me prove it."

The line was silent for a bit. Maybe Buck finally realized his comms were on and-

"Oh my god Sebastien, I love you!"

IQ pulled her comms out so fast she yanked a few strands of hair out with it. She felt her face heat up as she can't believe she just heard what she heard. Her chest felt heavy now that she found out why Buck never reacted to her hints.

 _Focus Monika. Don't do this now._ IQ reminded herself. She peeked through the binoculars and saw that there were barely any guards near the south side of the outpost. IQ stayed there a little longer, not wanting to walk back and see that Buck and Alibi weren't finished yet. She took her time walking back to them and thankfully, when she got back they just finished putting their clothes back on.

"Hey, you got anything?" Alibi asked, still clearly flustered.

IQ pretended not to notice. "Yeah, there's an opening near the back. We should go for it tonight."

She got in the car, paying no attention to Buck as they drove back to Hereford base.

/

A white mask threw Thermite's body on top of the others and wheeled them of outside where a shovel was waiting for him. He groaned as he grabbed it. "Why can't I just burn these bastards?" he said to himself as he started digging.

After a while, he tossed the shovel to the side and looked at the hole he dug. After telling himself it was deep enough, he turned towards the pile of bodies. He grabbed one and dragged it to the hole and threw it inside. He turned to get another one and got a shovel to the face, sending him to the ground.

"That is not how you treat the dead." His attacker said before hitting him again, knocking him out.

His attacker threw the shovel to the ground before lifting his shirt. The stitches were holding up and there was no more swelling. Finka knew what she was doing.

Thermite looked back at the corpses, most of which were his friends and colleagues. Hell, even Six was there. What kind of man would he be if he talked about respecting the dead and he didn't give them a proper burial. He grabbed the shovel again and finished what the white mask started.

…

Amelia walked to the holding cell and banged on the glass. "Hey Bosak!" she yelled "Boss wants to see you!"

Ela looked up from the bed. "Why? What does he want?"

"I don't know he just asked me to get you, now come on."

Amelia unlocked the cell and handcuffed Ela as they walked to Santiago's office. Amelia entered withoit knocking and Ela followed behind her, seeing Santiago sitting behind his desk as they entered.

"You asked for me?"

"Yes." Santiago said "Sophie's been a little lonely. She was asking for her aunt."

"What's the catch?"

Santiago chuckled. "You're just like your sister." He said "She's been asking a lot of questions regarding her mother. Questions that I am in no position to answer."

"Let me guess, that's where I come in?" Ela asked.

Santiago clapped his hands. "See, I knew you were smart."

Ela glared at him. "So telling someone their mother is a killer makes me smart?"

"Look Ela, I don't want to do this anymore than you do but she has to find out somehow. She's already searching for answers. God forbid she look for it in the wrong place and gets herself hurt. If you won't do it for me, do it for your sister. Do it for her child."

Ela sighed. "Fine."

"Thank you."

The three of them walked to the dorm where Sophie was being held. Santiago nodded to one of the guards and they unlocked the door. Before Ela entered Amelia unlocked her cuffs.

"The room is under surveillance, but apart from that its only the two of you in there. Let Sophie feel safe before you tell her." Santiago said and Ela slowly pushed the door open and entered the room, where Sophie sat at the bed, waiting for her.

"Where is my mother?"

"Sophie I-" Ela began but was cut off.

"If you're just going to tell me the same thing they did you should just leave."

"Sophie please just listen to me." Ela said "Sit down and I'll tell you whatever you want to know, alright?"

Reluctantly, Sophie obeyed and sat on the edge of the bed. "Tell me." She said "Everything."

Ela took a deep breath. "Ok, where do I start. Your mother, she isn't what you think she is." She said "She fights bad people and these bad people took you and your father to get to her. She fought to get you back. You were brought here because she was made to get this place for them."

Sophie remained quiet, trying to process what Ela was telling her. "Where is she now?"

Ela had to choose her words carefully. She knew Amelia shot her to get to Rook and they both fell out the window, but then again, Zofia was the only one who knows the code she heard on the radio last night. The truth was, she had no idea whether her sister was alive or not, and she could not let Sophie know that. She thought of what to say, only for her to be cut off when Amelia barged in the room.

"Your mother's dead kid."

Ela could see Sophie's heart break. "What?"

"Don't listen to her Sophie, she's lying."

"No I'm not Ela, and you know it." Amelia said.

Sophie turned to Ela. "Is it true? Is she dead Ela?"

"No she's not. She-" Ela cut herself off. She nearly let it slip that Zofia had a way of contacting them. She couldn't afford to let Amelia know that, even if it was the only way she can convince Sophie her mother was still alive. She would have to live with it for now, besides, if her plan works, Sophie will see for herself that Amelia was lying.

Ela's silence confirmed it for Sophie and she lost it, bolting through the open door. A few moments later, Santiago entered the room, asking what they had done to make Sophie upset.

"Don't ask me. It was going well until she burst in here." Ela said pointing to Amelia.

"What? Goddammit, Fischer!" Santiago yelled "I'll take care of this, take her back to holding. Now!"

Santiago left them and Amelia shut the door. "You still haven't repayed us for those meds." She said to Ela.

"What? Your boss saud that was a favor for the six people you killed."

"The fact that you're still breathing is already a favor to you. You owe us."

"Fine." Ela gave up "I'll talk something out with Santiago when he gets back." Ela stood up, extending her wrist so Amelia can cuff them so she can be taken back to the others but Amelia didn't move.

"No." she said "I'll take it from you now." Amelia struck Ela so hard she blacked out.

Ela woke up tied to a chair, still in the room. In front of her, Amelia was wrapping a belt around her fist. "Its too bad your boyfriend isn't here." She said "I want him to watch this."

"You're going to torture me? Go ahead." Ela said.

Amelia got up and walked towards her, grabbing her by the chin and yanked it upwards so that she was facing her. "Oh Ela, you have no idea what I plan on doing to you."

Amelia hit Ela across the face with her belt wrapped fist a few times before pulling her hair back. She looked her in the eyes before forcefully kissing her, surprising Ela more than if she had hit her again. She pulled off her and hit Ela more before forcefully kissing her again, this time groping her with her other hand. She pulled off her again, taking delight in seeing Ela face turning red, embarassed by the fact that her body was enjoying this when she wasn't.

Amelia tried to pull Ela's face as close to hers as possible while playing with her breasts, only getting more turned on when Ela tried to fight back. She pulled off her again and hit her one last time before stuffing a wash cloth in her mouth so she can't scream for help.

"You know why I haven't fucked any of my colleagues yet? They're all men." Amelia said before proceeding to rip Ela's pants off.

/

Buck, IQ and Alibi pulled up to the outpost, IQ immediately taking off before the car could even come to a complete stop. Buck got out as well and called after her.

"Monika, where are you going?" he asked "Tell the others about what you saw."

"You know what I saw, you tell them." IQ snapped at him.

Buck stood there watching IQ walk away, too shocked to not notice when Castle and Alibi walked up to him.

"Yikes, you must have really fucked up if Monika's mad at you." Castle said "What did you do?"

"What didn't we do?" Alibi smirked, gibing Buck a light squeeze on the butt.

"You two need help, no scratch that, you two need Jesus because what you're doing is too much its unhealthy." Castle said.

"Oh shut up Campbell." Buck said, taking his comms off and giving them to Castle "Give these back to Pichon will you?"

Castle examined one of the comms. "You should turn these off when you're not using it. It saves the battery."

"Wait, its still on?" Buck asked. A sudden realization hit him like a truck. "Oh shit. I have to go."

Buck ran to the dorm where IQ and Blitz were keeping there stuff at the moment, lucky enough to reach IQ just before she entered the room. If she made it inside there was no chance he would have been able to talk to her.

"Monika!" he yelled out, only to be ignored "Monika please. Can we at least talk? I know why you're mad at me."

"Oh so you picked up on that but not on the countless hints I've been dropping." IQ snapped.

"I wasn't-"

"Don't start with me Sebastien." IQ warned "If you didn't feel the same way you could have just told me instead of making me feel like a fucking idiot."

"Please can we just talk about this?" Buck pleaded.

"You already have someone Sebastien!" IQ said, raising her voice "Why are you so concerned about losing me?"

"Because you're my best friend."

"But that's all I'll ever be to you." IQ said "Tell me, do you love her?"

The question caught Buck by surprised. He couldn't bring himself to look at her as he slowly nodded. "Yes."

IQ turned around to enter her room but Buck wasn't willing to give up. "Monika please, I didn't want to ruin our friendship."

"And yet you still somehow did." IQ said "Elias and I were talking before you found us. He said our old places in GSG-9 were still available. He asked if we wanted to go back and I said yes. Me and Dominic are leaving once all this is over. I don't want to leave while still pissed at you so please just give me some space right now."

IQ went in her room and shut the door, leaving Buck standing in the hallway.

…

Zofia and Jeremiah were in the armory, loading all magazines with their respective ammunitions. As she inserted a round inside a magazine, Zofia flinched, catching the attention of her husband.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

Zofia waved him off. "Yeah, its just my wound. I'm fine."

"You were shot, Zo. Let me do it." Jeremiah said, taking the magazine from Zofia "If I can't be there for Sophie, at least let me be here for you."

"We will get her back Jeremiah."

"She shouldn't have been there in the first place. This is all my fault."

"Why? Did you just watch her get taken? You fought back. That's why it wasn't your fault and that's why we're getting her back." Zofia said "Now keep your head up. If I wanted to marry a quitter I wouldn't have married you."

"You married me because I got you pregnant." Jeremiah said, a hint of a smile on his lips.

"That doesn't mean I don't love you."

Zofia pulled him in and kissed him lightly, her tongue parting his lips as it entered his mouth. Jeremiah ran a hand through her hair and pulled her in closer, their kissing slowly turning into making out. His hands began to explore Zofia's body when someone behind them cleared his throat and they pushed each other off.

"Gustave told me to get everyone. We're leaving soon." Capitao said.

Jeremiah and Zofia awkwardly thanked him and waited for him to leave before they finished loading up the magazines. They grabbed their firearms and walked back to the others, who were already waiting by the cars.

"This doesn't change anything Bosak." Twitch said as Zofia walked towards them "When all this is over you're getting sent away to a small dark box somewhere where you can never hurt anyone ever again. That is if I don't kill you first."

Jeremiah took a step towards Twitch but Zofia held him back. "I understand." She said.

No one said anything to each other as they continued to pack up. They all entered the car and when IQ saw Buck and Alibi sitting together, she chose to ride in the other car. Rook, who was in the driver's seat noticed. "Monika's pissed at you? Wow you must have really fucked up."

"I get it Julien." Buck said, slightly pissed that he was reminded of that fact twice already "Let's just please go."

Rook shifted the car in gear and drove off to where Buck, Alibi and IQ went last time. Just as he killed the engine the other car arrived and they exited. With their guns on the hood, Blitz scouted the area with a pair of binoculars. "Monika was right. The south side is barely guarded." He said "Let's wait until night time, it would be harder for us to be spotted."

Rook looked at the sky. It was about an hour until sunset. A little sleep wouldn't harm anyone.

…

"Julien, wake up." Buck said, shaking him slightly. He opened his eyes and he could barely see anything, aside from the massive fog lights on the roof of the outpost.

Perfect.

They slowly made their way down, waited for the lights to cycle through before running to the south side of the outpost. While running, Blitz tripped on a mound on the dirt. He turned to see what it was and saw more than a dozen more. He was lying on a graveyard.

He was too distracted by that to notice the EE-One-D slowly hovering towards him. It emited a light and began to beep. Blitz heard that sound enough times to know what it meant.

It was countinng down as it scanned him.

Blitz was frozen. If he moved his presence will be revealed to the white masks but if he didn't, the fog lights would spot him as it cycled back.

A shovel flew into the drone and dropped it at Blitz's feet. He felt someone pull him back just as the light reached the spot he was just on.

"Sorry Oliver." Castle said as he helped Blitz up.

He brought him to the others, who were huddled around a locked door. Capitao had a gun pointed on its padlock. "This will make a lot of noise so when its open get inside and hide." He said.

The others nodded and he took the safety off. Before he could fire it however, the door opened from the inside and Thermite appeared.

Buck looked at him. "Jordan? Jesus you look like you came back from thhe dead."

"You have no idea." He responded "Come on, we'll talk inside."

Thermite peeked around the corner before turning back to face them. "Ela got your message." He whispered "She said we needed to get someone outside to let you guys in. I was in pretty bad shape back then but Lera patched me up. She and Ela woke me up while the others were up. Lera gave me a few pills. She said it can slow down my heart rate to the point that it becomes undetectable. It would also knock me out, make me look like I was dead so when I get taken outside to be buried I can let you guys in."

"What if you got buried before you woke up?" IQ asked.

"That was a huge risk actually, but I still did it."

"What do we do now?"

"Most of the white masks are asleep during this time." Thermite said "We should let the others out first, arm them, then go after these fuckers."

They all agreed and snuck to the holding cells. Thermite brought them to their cell and Rook unlocked it. He slowly opened the door and peeked inside. Everyone was asleep except for Mira, who then woke everyone else when she saw Rook.

He opened the door all the way and walked in the room. He dropped a duffel bag in the middle of the room and opened it, handing everyone firearms. While everyone got a gun, Ash screamed at the sight of Thermite.

"Jordan!" she ran to him and wrapped her arms around him, tears in her eyes "I thought you were dead."

"We faked it." Thermite said as he hugged her back "I'm sorry we didn't tell you but it had to be believable."

Rook looked around the room, scanning everyone there. "Wait, where's Ela?"

"Their boss called her. Something about talking to Bosak's daughter."

"What? Where?" Zofia asked, shocking everyone with the fact that she was still alive.

"Last time I heard, they were at the dorms." Finka said.

Zofia and Jeremiah ran out and Rook followed despite everyone telling them to wait. The others ran out and the alarms went to life. The white masks were already awake.

"Shit." Buck said "Fan out, kill them the first chance you get. They still outnumber us so don't let yourself get pinned down."

Rook, Zofia and Jeremiah reached the intersection of all the dorms. "Nizan, search the east wing we'll search the west. If you find Ela or my daughter tell me."

Rook nodded and they split up. He ran down the halls, calling out for Ela as he kicked down the doors one by one. He reached the suites and kicked the door open, seeing that Ela was waiting for him on the other side. She was tied to a chair, her clothes looked like they were hastily put back on and her tears ruined her mascara.

"Jesus Christ Ela." Rook said. She tried to yell through the wash cloth stuffed in her mouth when he approached her, panicking when he began to cut through her restraints with his knife "Calm down Ela you'll be ok."

Before Rook could finish cutting however, someone smashed a vase over his head from behind. He fell to the ground, disoriented to the point that he barely dodged the boot that was trying to crush his head. He scrambled to get back up and back away from his attacker who stepped forward, the moonlight coming from the window revealing herself to him.

"Should've known it was you." Rook snarled.

"Took you long enough." Amelia said "I was getting bored of your girlfriend."

Amelia lunged for Rook, bombarding him with way more hits than he could block. While they fought, Ela tugged on her restraints. Even after Rook cut through some of it, she still struggled. She looked back to them, Amelia barely missed Rook with a roundhouse kick, who then took his chance and grabbed her, slamming her against the wall.

"Is that it Nizan? She fought back way more than you did."

Amelia elbowed Rook in the side and grabbed him by the arm and swung him around so that know he was the one pressed against the wall. She twisted his arm behind his back and Rook yelled.

"God I love it when they scream." Amelia said "I wish I could her Ela's when I forced my fingers inside her."

Rook's eyes narrowed in anger. He head-butted Amelia and pushed her off. He raised his rifle only to have it kicked away by Amelia and it scattered to the floor. Rook pulled his magnum out and pointed it Amelia, who redirected the barrel at the last second. Rook tried to shoot her again multiple times, each attempt less successful than the last.

Frustrated, Rook hit Amelia in the throat and when she gasped for air, he shoved the barrel off his revolver in her mouth. He pulled the trigger and it clicked as the hammer moved back and hit a spent shell.

He was empty.

Amelia struck him in the face and dove for the rifle on the ground. She grabbed it and fired it at Rook and he fell backwards. Amelia turned around and saw Ela coming at her with Rook's knife. She disarmed Amelia before she could even raise the rifle and slashed the knife at her. Amelia leaned back, barely dodging the tip of the blade.

She tried to kick Ela at the head but she caught her leg and stabbed her twice in the thigh, before stabbing her in between the legs. Amelia screamed as Ela twisted the blade before hitting it with her knee, driving it even deeper into her. Ela yanked the knife out violently and Amelia stumbled backwards. Ela charged at her again.

"This is for Taina…Seamus…Grace…Mike…Siu…Marius…Meghan…and Shuhrat." She said, stabbing Amelia in different parts of the body with each name she said. She drove the knife deep in her stomach and dragged it across her abdomen before shoving her hand in the wound and pullling her guts out then shoving the knife in her neck.

Ela pushed her downwards. If she wasn't dead by now, she was when Ela began bashing the knife into her face, crying as she let her anger take over, stabbing her over and over until she was completely covered in Amelia's blood.

"Ela! Ela that's enough!" Rook yelled as he pulled her off Amelia, disarming her before she could hurt herself.

Ela dropped the knife and broke down. "She…she fucking raped me Julien." She sobbed.

Rook pulled her in for a hug and rubbed her head. "Its ok, its ok. Its over now, she can't hurt you anymore."

He tried not to look at Amelia's mangled corpse as he helped Ela up. "Come on, we have to help the others."

"They took Sophie."

"I know. Your sister and her husband are searching for her. We have to help the others."

Ela shook her head. "No. I think I know where he took Sophie."

"Lead the way."

The two of them ran out of the room, not bothering to close the door so that anyone passing by can see what Ela did to Amelia. They ran for the far end of the outpost, the most secluded place and where the panic rooms were located.

"What makes you so sure they're there?" Rook asked.

"I talked to their leader. He's not like the others, he's still a terrorist but he gives a fuck about people." Ela said "Chances are when he first heard gunshots he would have tried to keep Sophie safe and the panic roomss are the best place to do it."

Rook nodded and they continued running. When they got there, the two guards standing outside one of the panic rooms proved Ela right. Rook gunned them down immediately and went for the keypad.

"Do you know the code?"

"No. Whoever's inside sets the conde from there. The only way we can get in is if-"

The door to the panic room opened, cutting Ela off mid-sentence. Rook opened it all the way, gun raised for anymore guards, only to find just one man, sitting on a chair, looking at them patiently.

"Santiago you son of a bitch where's Sophie?"

"Ela!" Sophie yelled out as she ran out of the small bathroom. She ran up to her and gave her a hug.

"I opened the door, in case you were wondering." Santiago said "I'm also unarmed. Don't worry I don't plan on fighting back."

"We're still killing you." Rook said, to which Santiago just opened his arms to Rook.

"No one's stopping you."

"Why? Why you doing this?" Ela asked.

Santiago shrugged. "I told you. If I'm going to win this war, I'm doing it with the least amount of casualties possible. If I have to take another person's life to save mine, I'd rather just loose mine."

From behind Ela, Rook cocked his rifle. "Your call Ela. Shoot him or not."

Ela glanced back at Rook before staring at Santiago. "Get out of here and never come back."

Santiago gave Ela a small bow before leaving the room. "You're just letting him go?" Rook asked.

"Why not? He may be a white mask but he's a way better person than Six."

Rook gave her a faint smile before kneeling down to greet Sophie.

"Hi there." He said "I'm Julien."

"Hi. Are you related to me too?"

"Uh no. I'm more of and aquaintance due to involvement with the family."

Sophie just stared at him and Rook rubbed the back of his neck. "It means I'm fu-, uh friends with your aunt."

Ela chuckled at the way Rook nearly swore at Sophie, and she made sure he noticed. He rolled his eyes at her before turning back to Sophie. "Hold on, let me get your mother."

He pressed his fingers into his comms. "Hey Bosak we have your daughter, meet us in the rec room."

He was answered with static.

Rook glanced at Ela nervously before trying again. " Zofia, we have Sophie, please respond."

When there was more static, Rook looked at Ela. "We have to go."

…

Castle and Twitch killed a few more white masks, a grin on their faces as the tides of the battle began to turn in their direction. Before any of the white masks could even react to any of them they would already be gunned down. Those who were lucky enough not to be had ran away. If they kept this up, the outpost will be theirs again.

They rounded the corner and came face to face with the last of the white masks in their last stand, guns at the ready. Castle swore and pushed Twitch to the other side of the hallway before jumping out of their line of fire. The two of them backed up as far as they can but it was no use. That side was a dead end.

They could hear the white masks advancing towards them. If they get pinned, they're dead but if they ran they'd be gunned down. There was no way out.

Before the white masks could reach them however, someone yelled out from the other side of the hallway.

"Over here motherfuckers!" Zofia yelled, getting their attention as well as their bullets. Castle and Twitch took the chance and shot them from behind, killing of the last of the white masks.

They had won.

But at what cost? Zofia stumbled backwards and leaned on the wall as she slid downwards to the floor. Castle and Twitch ran to her just as the others arrived as well.

"Mommy!" Sophie yelled as she ran to her side "Is she going to be ok?" she asked with tears in her eyes.

"Hang on Bosak I'm getting my stim pistol." Doc said as he ran back to the medbay but Zofia knew it wouldn't make a difference. She barely survived one gunshot from Amelia, and know she has a center mass filled with bullets. She wasn't bouncing bback from this. Instead, she just held her daughter's hand as she bled out onto the floor.

/

 **Epilogue**

 **6 months later:**

A man walked in a dark parking lot, cautiously looking over his shoulder every two seconds. He reached his car when two suppressed shots rang out, hitting him in the legs. He fell to the ground and a man in a trench coat approached him, the barrel of his pistol poking out from two bullet holes.

The man grabbed the brief case that the man he shot dropped. "Eliza, I have it." He said to his radio.

"Good. Get back here. Nice work Jordan."

Thermite reached for the man's phone and dialed 911. "Put pressure on that." He instructed to the man.

He walked back to the surveillance van parked on the other street, entered and gave Ash the briefcase. He closed the door and told Mira to drive before the police get there.

"What did you get?" Mira asked.

"I'm working on it." Ash said as she picked the lock of the briefcase. After tinkering with it for a bit, they heard a click and it opened. Inside were files on people in witness protection as well as a note telling them to meet someone at a bar before midnight.

"Looks like our man sold a few people out and someone else is willing to buy." Thermite "Drive to The World's End Elena, let's see if we can catch two criminals tonight."

Mira parked the car outside of the bar and Thermite walked in the bar. He ordered a drink and looked around. "I don't like this guys."

"Why?" Ash asked "See anything suspicious?"

"No. I'm drinking alone in a bar full of couples." Thermite said "I feel like Elena."

"Oh fuck you Jordan." Mira said.

Ash chuckled at their banter. With Jager dead and IQ back at GSG-9, she certainly missed moments like this. Back before everything went to shit. Now that there were only three of them working an op, she couldn't help but wonder where the others were now.

…

Buck began to strip his clothes off as a naked, eager Alibi watched him from his bed. After taking his underwear off, he joined her on the bed and began to make out. Even though they have sex all the time, he could always find a way to make each session different from the last, but tonight he had something huge planed. Something that would blow all those other sessions out of the water.

"So what do you have planned for tonight?" Alibi asked.

Buck could barely contain his excitement. "You'll see. Reach into my jacket pocket."

Alibi did as she was told and pulled out a small black box. She opened it and her jaw dropped, speechless as she turned back to Buck.

"How about the first time we fuck with me as your fiancee?" he asked.

"That is the most inappropriate way to propose to someone Sebastien."

"But its still a proposal. What do you say Aria? Will you spend the rest of your life with me?"

Alibi looked at him with tears in her eyes as she nodded. "Yes."

Buck began to tear up as well and placed the ring on Alibi's finger. He gave her a kiss. "I love you Aria."

"I love you too." She said, wiping her tears away with her hands so that her eyes can be filled with mischief instead "We're still going to fuck though."

"Your wish is my command Mrs. Cote."

They continued to make out as Alibi rolled on top and mounted Buck.

…

Frost walked to her room, hand clutching a small box wrapped in colorful paper. A gift for Hibana's birthday. She reached her door and began to unlock it when she heard something glass break from inside the room. She walked in to find Hibana crying on the floor, surrounded by bottles of alcohol.

"Yumiko, what's wrong?" Frost asked.

"Its my birthday today Tina." Hibana drunkenly sobbed "I'm thirty-five and yet look at me. Meghan's dead, my parents disowned me for being gay and everyone around me has found someone. I have no one Tina. I'm alone."

Frost looked at her with pity as she continued to cry. She sighed and sat down next to her. "Sebastien just called. He told me Aria said yes."

"What?"

"He took Aria to his cabin to propose to her and she said yes. My parents are both dead, my friends are either dead or leaving and my best friend just got engaged, while I'm still here. But I'm not alone Yumiko. Do you know why? Because I have you, and you have me."

Frost held Hibana close, comforting her friend as she cried her eyes out.

…

Castle and Twitch sat in a car, looking at the house across the street.

"This is a bad idea Miles." Twitch said.

"We flew all the way to Tours and you're telling me this now?"

"Its just, I haven't seen them in a long time."

"They're still your parents Emmanuelle." Castle said "Just talk to them."

"What do you want me to say? 'Hi, it's the daughter you disowned. I just came by to tell you I had sex with a man I wasn't married to and he got me pregnant, but don't worry because I lost the baby anyway'. I'm telling you now Miles, this won't go well."

"Take all the time you need Emmanuelle, but we're not leaving today without you reconciling with your parents."

Twitch sighed. She got out of the car and Castle followed. They walked to the doorstep and knocked on the door.

"Why did I let you talk me into this?" Twitch asked.

"Probably because you love me."

Twitch gave him a faint smile just as the door opened in front of them and they were face to face with an elderly couple.

"Good afternoon, Mr and Mrs. Pichon, I'm Miles Campbell. I'm your daughter's boyfriend and she would like to have a word with you."

The two of them looked at each other before welcoming Castle and Twitch inside. "You don't know how long we waited for this Emi."

Twitch smiled and they walked in.

This might not be so bad after all.

…

Rook and Ela walked inside a cemetery, looking for two graves that Ela was told were located there. When they finally found them, Ela hesitated.

"Are you going to be ok?" Rook asked her.

"Yeah. I just need a second."

"Do you want me to come with you."

Ela shook her head. "No. I've put this off for too long. I have to do it by myself."

Rook nodded and gave her a hug. "I understand. I'll wait in the car."

Ela watched him walk back for a bit before turning back around. She walked towards two gravestones with two boquets of flowers in her hands. She set one down on her father's grave…

…and another on her sister's.


End file.
